Archieval Revival Part 3: Battle for Petropolis
by SuperiorSoul0
Summary: OMEGA has risen, ULTRA has returned, now Dudley and Kitty must reclaim Petropolis from Zero. Can their new allies help reclaim what was lost or is the world doomed to fall to Zero's infernal power? I don't claim anything. TUFF Puppy is property of Nickelodeon. OC's are mine.
1. Chapter 1

Dudley had never had such an astounding morning. A mission this early in the morning wasn't usually on his agenda, but this was different. Riding in the Tuffmobile with his fellow TUFF agents Kitty Katswell and Jack Rabbit, he was going to take Petropolis back from OMEGA. There was war torn land all over which ment that this was getting out of hand. At least ULTRA were fighting off further advances which left other operatives to get other assignments done. Flying beside him were ULTRA operatives Jeremiah Jackal, and Iris Patra on Jeremiah's Ultracycle. Dorian Kaiser had his harness turned into a jet pack like device and was flying next to Jeremiah.

"Alright listen up.", Jeremiah instructed, "OMEGA's going to have Petropolis on alert. We must take it slow and thorough. Got it?"

"Sure do.", Jack informed, "That wall is going to be the first line of defense against invaders. So that's one reason we have two teams."

"Indeed.", Jeremiah stated.

Kitty who had been listening, looked over to Dudley who had fallen asleep( he did this a lot while he was traveling) and shook his shoulder.

"Huh? What?", Dudley asked as he slowly awoke.

"Dudley", Kitty said sternly, "pay attention. We're in the middle of a talk here."

"Sorry Kitty, traveling wears me out."

"A lot of things wear you out.", Kitty stated, "Work, learning, learning to work, life lessons, and a lot of other stuff."

Jeremiah honked his cycle's horn to get their attention.

"We have no time for memory lane or arguing.", he informed.

Dudley had to admit that Jeremiah did know how to lead a team on a mission. He remembered Jeremiah leading the simulation groups back at ULTRA HQ. He knew exactly how each member should act and when to move in. Even though he tried to follow along, the simulation was just proving to be more difficult than he anticipated and Jeremiah sure knew how to discipline somebody who didn't behave. Dudley checked the glove compartment for some snacks and then pulled out a head of lettuce.

"What's this?", he asked.

"That would be lettuce.", Jeremiah informed.

"Lettuce?!", Dudley asked in shock.

"It's a vegetable.", Dorian explained, "Every agent is required the four basic food groups."

Dudley threw the lettuce away, but Dorian was quicker and sent the lettuce flying right back into the Tuffmobile glove compartment which closed from the vibration.

"I already know the four basic food groups.", Dudley stated.

Jeremiah raised an eyebrow.

"Oh really? Then name them."

Dudley thought hard and Kitty could tell he was straining to get an answer. Jack was driving and had to focus on what was ahead. Kitty opened her mouth to talk, but Dudley stopped her.

"I got this one. Bacon...doughnuts...beans...and pancakes."

"Wrong.", Jeremiah said harshly narrowing his eyes, " The four basic food groups consist of...grains, fruit, dairy and vegetables."

Dudley got a little green and hurled over the side. Jeremiah raised his eyebrow again.

"Sorry", Dudley said as he regained his seat, "that last word makes me barf."

"What?", asked Jeremiah, "Vegetables?"

Dudley hurled over the side again.

"Yeah, you might want to keep that word on hold.", Kitty suggested to Jeremiah.

"Anyway, we're close to our destination.", Jeremiah informed, "We land here."

The agents dropped out of the clouds and Dudley was greeted by a very disturbing sight. The ground was torn, and ravaged as though bombs and gunfire had run rampant all over. The aroma of decay was frequent and corpses decomposing as far as he could see.

"What happened here?", Dudley asked as the agents got on the ground.

"One of the many battles of this war.", Jeremiah stated, "Places where we fought the enemy and those who didn't survive return to the earth."

Dudley could tell what Jeremiah ment. Some corpses were not ordinary. As the agents made their way through the sea of dead, Dudley couldn't help but feel like someone else was here. Jeremiah and his team kept low and hidden. Dudley wasn't one to wait though. He ran ahead and Kitty followed with Jack right at their heels. Jeremiah just shook his head in disappointment.

"Dudley, don't you ever learn?", he asked himself.

Dudley had run ahead and shortly stopped at the top of a hill staring in awe. Shortly Kitty and Jack had arrived and saw the same thing. Down below, Petropolis was walled in and the city looked like the city of Dis than the one they knew. The faint agonizing sounds were heard by Dudley's sensitive ears, and around the wall outside was desolate and war littered. Kitty then whacked Dudley on the back of the head.

"Are you crazy?!", she shouted, "You could have walked into trouble."

""I had to know what's going on.", Dudley countered, "Why is it you always take things slow?"

"Agents", Jack warned, "not so loud."

Jack was right because the next moment, a huge net was fired and all three agents were entangled in a mess of iron wire and constriction.

"Surprise!", said an all too familiar voice.

The agents looked to see the Gemini twins with several other hunters dressed the same way.

"And we thought you would be difficult to-", Byron started.

"Catch.", Glacia finished, "Silly us."

Dudley strained, Kitty slashed, and Jack pulled, but alas the net didn't give one bit.

"Don't try cutting this net", Glacia mocked, "It's purely-"

"Escape proof.", Byron finished, "Zero even told us he wishes to dispose of you-"

"Personally.", Glacia grinned.

The other hunters shifted their coats into bat wings and took the net into the air following the Gemini twins. Before they vanished, Jeremiah and his team showed up at the top of the hill.

"Great", Jeremiah grumbled, "we get to our destination and now, I have to save Dudley from the Gemini."

Being carried in a net was certainly not a nice way to travel. Dudley, Kitty and Jack had tried and tried, but just like the first time, the net stayed strong.

"You had to get us caught didn't you?", Kitty asked sounding annoyed.

Dudley could tell she was talking to him and he did feel guilty. In all his eagerness, he must have forgotten the training Jeremiah did with him. Fortunately though, Jeremiah and his team showed up and you get the idea on what happened next. You guessed it, a big fight. The Gemini twins loaded hunter like weaponry( such as serrated boomerangs, crossbow pistols, flash powder, and more things like that) against Jeremiah and his fellow agents' arsenal. Jeremiah even threw lightning to even out the odds. At that moment, Dudley and his fellow agents got dropped and were plummeting to the ground as they tried once more to untangle the net's mesh. Luckily, they did and unfortunately they were close to the ground. Kitty and Jack thought fast. Holding each others hands( as well as Dudley's) Jack and Kitty fired their blasters downward and slowed the fall. Not enough to kill them, but they did feel pretty hurt when they hit the ground. They then got into hiding due to their situation and Jeremiah and his group finished driving away the Gemini and their hunters. After they left, Jeremiah and his fellow ULTRA members came down and Dorian started tending Dudley, Kitty, and Jack's injuries.

"Dudley", Jeremiah sighed, "is every mission I do with you going to be like this?"

Dudley shrugged and then flinched when Dorian rubbed alcohol on his injured arm. For a scientist, Dorian sure knew his medical procedure. Jeremiah kept watch with Iris in case any other members of Zero's forces came near.

"There", Dorian concluded as he finished putting his medical supplies away, "now all that's required is a short rest and you three will be as right as rain."

Jack and Kitty settled quickly. But Dudley was a little harder to get napping. Shortly, Jeremiah came in.

"Still up?", he asked Dudley.

"Apparently.", Dudley said.

Jeremiah sighed heavily.

"You go charging in, you get caught, and now I have to put you to bed. I feel like I'm your baby sitter than your fellow agent. But just so you don't get ideas, I'll go over the plan I came up with before you dozed off."

Jeremiah looked to see that Dudley was asleep. Jeremiah tapped his shoulder, but Dudley didn't budge.

"Finally.", Jeremiah stated, "Dorian, watch over them. I'm going to do another watch with Iris."

Dorian stood firm and his assistants were already making protective measures in case anyone got past Jeremiah and Iris.

"Copy that.", he said as Jeremiah left.


	2. Chapter 2

Dark Wolf stood at the helm of the deck the way a captain of his ship before the steering wheel. Around the room, agents were typing and working mechanisms as if the whole world depended on them. The base was shifting and was becoming more and more less like a mountain as the outside made it seem.

"Deploy base separation!", Dark Wolf ordered, "Activate aviation!"

The sound of jet engines igniting were being heard as the base's base, middle, and top separated into three parts each with twin turbo state of the art aviation engines and looked more like battle ships than a mountain.

"Report!", Dark Wolf ordered

The front of the room opened into a huge window and a digital screen appeared on either side and the leaders of the other two parts( a platypus and a cougar) sounded off.

"This is ULTRA HQ Base. We are all at the ready.", the cougar stated.

"ULTRA HQ Summit here.", the platypus reported, "All systems are go."

"Copy that.", Dark Wolf stated, "Prepare the arsenal! Destination: Petropolis. Let's move people, we need to be there yesterday!"

The sections of the base did some final shifting and soon, three huge warships were hovering above the earth and on their way towards the Petropolis area. Each one had it's command center, hanger, medical ward, as well as the latest weapon technology known to science. Dark Wolf took his place on the commander's chair of the ULTRA HQ middle section ship and the digital screen displayed a map of the surrounding areas as well as the other two ships.

"And so...the war begins.", he thought to himself.

Then one operative(a badger) started playing battle music that filled the room. That really set the mood. Just then, Peg came on deck and went to Dark Wolf's side.

"Permission to speak?", she asked.

"Granted.", Dark Wolf stated when he looked her way, "What's the situation?"

"All recovering operatives are at the ready and awaiting deployment. Any further injured will be greeted with utmost care.", Peg reported, "By the way, how's my boy doing out there?"

"Hold that thought.", Dark Wolf told her, "I'll patch us through."

Dark Wolf pressed a few buttons on his dashboard and a blank screen came up.

"This is Dark Wolf calling Jackal. Repeat, Dark Wolf to Jackal.", Dark Wolf transmitted, "Over?"

There was a silence and then Dark Wolf tried again.

"This is Dark Wolf calling Jackal. Repeat Dark Wolf to Jackal. Over?"

Then the screen showed static, then Jeremiah's face came on screen.

"This is Jackal. Reading loud and clear sir. We have made it to the wall, and will be ascending shortly. Over."

"What about Dudley?", Peg asked, "Is my boy okay?"

"Mrs. Puppy, you need to say over when transmitting messages.", Dark Wolf told her.

"Oops", said Peg, "Over?"

"Dudley had a little ambush, but he'll be okay Mrs. Puppy.", Jeremiah told her, "He should be up at the earliest convenience. Over."

"Hey, is Mom on?!", Dudley's voice came in from behind Jeremiah, "I want to say hi!"

"Dudley!", Jeremiah said sternly, "This is a very important-"

Then the screen went blank a few times, and then the screen showed Jeremiah again.

"Sorry sir, Dudley tried to wrestle my communicator from me cause I took his. Over."

"You wouldn't let me press buttons!", Dudley snapped.

"Well, we're already on our way over.", Dark Wolf stated, "Keep your guard up. The wall could have patrols. Dark Wolf out."

Dark Wolf hit the same sequence he hit earlier and the screen showing Jeremiah's face went blank. Peg however looked a little worried. Dudley had allowed himself to get caught, so she was now starting to think what else might happen. Dark Wolf saw her expression and put his hand on hers.

"Don't give up so fast.", he told her, "Your son will be safe with Jeremiah with him."

That made Peg feel a little better, but not much.

Back at the outer limits of Petropolis, Dudley had made his recovery as well as Jack and Kitty. Those bounty hunters put up quite a fight. Jeremiah had set up camp outside complete with a fire, tent, and lookout post. Hey, it was getting dark and this was a good time to practice the camping skills.

"Nice to see you made it.", Jeremiah stated when Dudley and his fellow agents walked over.

"Yeah, Doc really knows his medicine.", Kitty admitted.

Dudley noticed the fire had a wall around it and a cover above it. He reached out to move it, but Jack swatted his hand away.

"You'll give us away.", Jack informed.

Dudley sat near the fire and fidgeted with his pants. Even after a couple of times getting them on and off, he still had trouble getting into them. Jeremiah noticed and came over.

"Don't try to remove those pants. You look better the way you do."

"But Jerry", Dudley whined, "they ride up my butt like a freight elevator and I still can't see my-"

Jeremiah stood Dudley up and turned his head to see his tail sticking out of the seat of his pants.

"I made sure you could see your tail.", Jeremiah stated, "Now we have a strategy to plan out."

That made sense to everyone. Iris had just finished putting the sleeping cots inside the tent and was soon joining the others.

"Now then", Jeremiah stated when everyone had gathered, "we have a wall to get through, and a whole city to scout out without getting caught. Zero is going to have patrols more often here than in Hades though I fear that was simply a test of Damian's power."( I just learned that was how Damian was spelled. Roll with it.)

Jeremiah looked towards each face and he seemed eager to hear suggestions.

"Jeremiah", Jack said, "I believe a wall breach will not be necessary. If we can get through the sewer system, we can avoid the patrols, and reach the inner limits without much of a fight."

"That might work", Kitty put in, "and we will have the element of surprise on our side."

"Don't be too sure.", Dorian warned, "Zero always thinks things through. So even the sewers will be a danger zone. The odds will most likely be against us."

"Like it ever isn't?", Iris asked.

Dudley was roasting marshmallows and wasn't in the chat. Jeremiah noticed this and swiped the s'more he was making.

"Pay attention", Jeremiah stated harshly, "then you can eat. Did you get anything from what we said?!"

Dudley took a breath than shook his head. Jeremiah smacked himself on the face.

"Moron.", he said coldly, "Okay, I'll make it simple. We split up into teams. One goes into sewers, other goes on wall, we meet inside city. Got it?!"

Dudley was writing on a notepad and looked up after a bit.

"What was that last one?", he asked.

Kitty saw Jeremiah was losing patience so she put her hand on his to calm him.

"I'll explain it to him on the way there.", she assured him.

"Make sure you do.", Jeremiah said, "Because I'm not repeating anything."

With that, Jeremiah gave Dudley back his s more and Dorian pulled out several cooking sticks while Iris got the marshmallows, graham crackers, and chocolate spread. It did feel nice to have a little down time after that experience. Jeremiah even offered Iris a campfire dance. Jack kept lookout, Dorian did an inventory once over, and Dudley and Kitty made s mores.

"Now this is a camp out", Dudley stated before starting to eat his third s more.

"Don't get ahead of yourself", Kitty told him as she was starting on her second, "we still have a mission on our hands."

Kitty did feel nice to unwind, but a job's a job. Those were words she lived by. Finally, Jeremiah claimed it was time for some shut eye. The tent was very spacious inside. There were several cots, a dresser, a generator, and even a mini fridge. Hey, Jeremiah wanted to come prepared and Dorian has the latest technology, what did you prefer? Jeremiah activated the curtains which allowed everyone to get into their pajamas( Jeremiah was wearing his briefs and tank top) and settle on their cots. Only then did the curtains drop.

"Hey Jeremiah?", Dudley asked before Jeremiah got the light.

"Yeah?"

"Sorry I ran off like that. I was just so eager to get it over with that I forgot to be careful. Hope you don't take that too hard."

"Just something you need to work on", Jeremiah told him, "now get some shut eye. Things get underway soon."

Jeremiah had turned the light out for a couple of minutes before he felt his shoulder being shook. He turned the light on again to see Dudley beside his cot.

"What now?", Jeremiah asked.

"Will you tell me a story?", Dudley asked showing his puppy eyes.

Jeremiah sighed.

"If I tell you one, will you leave me alone for the rest of the night?"

Dudley nodded as he sat on the edge of Jeremiah's cot. Jeremiah pulled a novel out from under his pillow(and for the record, it was The Hobbit). Jeremiah had read only a few sentences when Dudley fell on him sound asleep. Jeremiah rolled his eyes as he got comfortable again and turned the light out.


	3. Chapter 3

The night passed on rather fast. Dudley was hardly asleep when he was shaken awoke.

"Rise and shine sleeping beauty.", Jeremiah stated, "Mission time."

Dudley got to his feet and yawned big. He then looked around to see the tent was almost cleared out and all there was was the cot where he slept.

"Jeremiah, I'm still worn out.", Dudley complained, "Can't I get a little more-"

"No time for that.", Jeremiah said, "We can talk on the way."

Dudley managed to get dressed although the pants were still a little hard to do. It was then he saw outside. It was barely dawn.

"We're doing a mission? At this hour?!", he asked in surprise.

"That way we get a head start.", Kitty told him.

Kitty, Jack, Dorian and Iris had already prepared and were at the ready.

"Dudley, I still can't believe you're wearing pants.", Jack told Dudley as he was putting his blaster on his belt.

"Don't remind me.", Dudley said harshly, "I still don't like them."

Jack looked a little confused so Kitty decided to break the ice.

"Forgive him Jack, he's real grouchy if he doesn't sleep more than eight hours."

Dudley got his equipment set and with the shadows of early morning after their campsite was taken apart, the group made it's way across the field toward the wall. Jeremiah was out in front due to experience, Iris beside him( on his right), Dorian in back, and Jack, Kitty and Dudley in between ( you decide which formation). As they got in close, Jeremiah had the team crouch down and pulled a pair of binoculars off his belt and did a little scouting. Dudley was still feeling a wedgie from his pants so Kitty gave him a little help.

"Okay, we got snipers on that wall.", Jeremiah reported as he turned to the group.

Dudley was about to talk loudly, but Kitty put her hand over his mouth to prevent it. Dorian was doing some scientific analysis and drawing diagrams in the dirt. All the quadratic equations and variables could make your head spin and sting like a hornet's nest. Along the wall were separate lookout posts where the patrols either stood on watch or switched with another. The windows were too small to see through so the details were hazy.

"Hey Doc, what are you doing?", Dudley asked Dorian.

"If you must know, I am trying to find a point of entry where we can get in without getting caught.", Dorian informed, "So far, that wall is packed tighter than an anaconda around prey."

Dudley had only gone over the first equation when he dropped to the ground snoozing. Jeremiah noticed and rolled his eyes.

"Idiot.", he muttered, "Just when I need him, he's out like a light. Iris, could you revive Dudley?"

Iris took an glass of icy water and dumped the whole thing over Dudley's head. That woke him up alright. Jeremiah then noticed the horizon was turning lighter. They had to get past that wall, fast.

On the wall, several patrols were making their early morning routes. The rising sun would be welcoming if Petropolis wasn't ruled by such a tyrant. One officer( a vulture) was taking some observations on the surrounding areas when one of his patrols arrived.

"Patrols.", the officer informed, "Word from the citadel has arrived. Zero wants this joint on the lookout for any strange activity. Any small thing happens, report it."

The patrol stood straight and saluted.

"Sir, yes sir!"

The patrol went on it's way while the officer did some note taking.

"Jeez, I know Zero wants this for personal reasons, but I'd rather be one of Crimson's battle suit testers than an officer."

Just as he was finishing up, he noticed something from the corner of his eye. Seemed like someone, or something was nearby. He didn't know who or what, but nothing goes on that Zero wasn't informed of. He pulled out a radio from his belt and signaled.

"Officer 13-V to base. I just located a campsite near the wall. Requesting investigation."

"Permission granted", the voice on the other end answered, "Send out the grimhounds. Plasmire was just adding them."

Officer 13-V hurried down the wall and into a compound behind the wall. There were other buildings there too. Food storage that was being thoroughly examined, blacksmiths that were forging more metal bolts, and other things, and more patrols making sure the wall was firm. A couple guards were in front of the door he was nearing.

"Name?", the guards asked.

"Officer 13-V. I'm here for the grimhounds."

The guards looked at each other and stepped aside allowing the officer to input a secret code into the locking mechanism and after a beep and a whoosh, the door opened and the officer entered. Inside was dark and smelled strongly of rotten meat. Officer 13-V walked up to a metal cage where several wild dogs were chained to the wall. These dogs you must understand were bred for tracking and slaughtering and were so untamed, that Zero had them placed in cells to prevent them from breaking out and attacking anything. Besides their muscular bodies, cropped ears, razor sharp teeth, polished claws, and dull gray coat color, they had blood shot eyes and when they saw the officer enter, the pulled on their chains to get close, but the officer stayed out of reach.

"Oh yes", the officer said smiling, "these will do perfectly."

He pulled out a black fabric and held it out for the hounds to sniff. Even with dried blood and scars on their noses, the hound's sense of smell was unfathomed. They sniffed a little and were more like wild savages than attack dogs if you ask me. Officer 13-V just stood there holding the fabric and after concluding the hounds got the scent, he snapped his fingers. Three large wardens came forward and after securing metal muzzles on the hounds faces so that they could only smell and not bite, they put leashes on their spiked collars, and unlocked the shackles. The hounds were strong and pulled hard, but the wardens were stronger and yanked their leashes so that they were close to their sides. Officer 13-V handed one warden the fabric.

"Find the ones this cloth belonged to and end their miserable existence.", he ordered, "Plasmire will be eager to see how his hounds fared."

The wardens nodded and led the hounds outside. There, they tore the cloth into three pieces and held each part in front of their respective hound's nose.

"Track...kill.", they each instructed.

By now Dudley, Jeremiah, and the rest had made it to the wall. Jack and Iris kept watch in case a sniper would pass their way while Dorian tapped the wall a few times.

"Well, the walls too thick for going through. And going over will be risky, but I think I have found a way."

"Let's hear it.", Jeremiah stated.

Dorian drew a schematic in the ground.

"Okay, according to the Petropolis blueprints I...borrowed from the mayor's office", Dorian stated, "I think we have a sewage pipe around this area."

Dudley looked complex.

"And this is news how?", he asked.

Jeremiah then caught on.

"I see, we go in the pipe and come into Petropolis by going underneath the fray. But we can't all go."

Dorian nodded, but Dudley was skeptical.

"Why not?", Dudley asked.

Jeremiah waited til Jack and Iris got back before continuing. Kitty was listening and decided to speak out.

"Because what if the potholes are sealed to prevent us from going under?", she told Dudley, "This way, one team goes in and we'll meet up at one designated point and go from there."

Dorian drew some more and made a little mark on one street.

"There's a manhole in the intersection of I'm Sneaking In street and Unsuspecting avenue. Sound like a good spot?"

Jeremiah looked concerned.

"Who comes up with these names?", he asked.

"We didn't get it either", Jack told him, "So who's going with who?"

"Simple.", Dorian explained, "You, Kitty, and Dudley are one team and the rest of us are the other."

That seemed fair to everyone. Jeremiah's team was going to leave when Jeremiah gave Dudley a thumb's up.

"Best of luck.", he stated before his team set down the wall base.

"Ditto.", Dudley said after him though he wasn't sure Jeremiah heard him.

Kitty and Jack were going through some stuff when dirt flew onto them.

"Hey, what gives?!", Kitty asked crossly as Jack and her raised their arms to shield their faces.

"Sorry Kitty", Dudley said as he stuck his head out of a hole in the ground, "I dig when I'm excited."

"Just keep digging til you hit the pipe.", Jack instructed.

Just when Dudley was about to do so, a loud snarl made them turn around to see three large wardens on top of a hillside with three large demonic hounds on chain leashes, spiked collars and metal muzzles.

"Dudley?", Kitty asked, "How fast can you dig?"

Before they could scream, the wardens reached out and pressed a mechanism on the hound's muzzles. That's when the muzzles fell off, and the chain leashes became unhooked. The TUFF agents were screaming as the hounds were charging them on all fours and their teeth shimmering in the morning's first rays of light.


	4. Chapter 4

Dudley saw the grimhounds charging their way and he was really freaked out. Kitty and Jack prepared for combat while Dudley went back to digging. Only now he was digging faster because his death was coming at him in the form of three very vicious, extremely hostile, and dead looking hounds. The hounds were upon them and Kitty and Jack engaged. Even though they were skilled fighters, the hounds just kept coming. The wardens were still on the hilltop observing the whole thing.

"Quite the determined kind are they not?", one warden( a panther) told the other two( a grizzly bear and a rhino).

"Well, the undead part seems to provide a kick.", the rhino insisted, "Zero would love to see this."

The grizzly bear pulled a radio/camera off his belt and pointed the lens toward the fight and radioed Zero. Back in the fight, Jack and Kitty were at each others backs and the hounds circled around them like sharks around a school of fish. Jack and Kitty had never fought such powerful enemies. They were breathing heavily and the hounds were barely breaking a sweat. The hound's growls made their menacing faces even more frightening. Then, one hound jumped in and Jack used a judo style defense maneuver to deflect it only to leave Kitty vulnerable to another hound which went for the kill as she was holding another off. The bite was hard and painful. Kitty barely held on as the hound biting into her side was aiming for another bite when Jack knocked it away. There was a clang and Dudley poked his head above the dirt once more.

"Guys, I think I hit a pipe."

Just then, the one hound that was not being fought off turned Dudley's way, lowered it's head and charged. Dudley jumped out of his hole and before he could defend, the hound was on him and pinning him to the ground. Dudley had never seen this hound's face so close. The eyes were wild, blood shot and showed only pure savagery. The breath really reeked of rotten meat, barf, and a lot of other disgusting things that once inhaled made Dudley flinch.

"Yech!", he sputtered, "What did this thing eat?!"

But the thing Dudley was worried about was the hound's teeth. They kept snapping his way and every time he feared they would bite his whole face off. Just when Dudley was losing his grip, the hound was pulled off by a warden(the bear) who had a large pike like spear at Dudley's eyes.

"Don't move!", the warden warned.

Dudley turned his eyes to see Kitty and Jack in chains and two of the hounds standing guard with another two wardens before turning back to his.

"You thought you were so clever didn't you?", the grizzly bear mocked, "That you had us outwitted? Surrender or your dog chow."

Dudley thought hard. This was part of one simulation Jeremiah had him go through back at ULTRA. He needed to do something but what? Then, he had an idea.

"Sir", he said very humble, "I don't mind being fed to a hound like yours, only I have one thing to say and that is...CATCH!"

While Dudley had the warden's attention, he had reached for his blaster and had fired a blast at Kitty and Jack's chain link. The chain snapped and Kitty and Jack quickly used their new weapon to whip their guards away and after that, whip Dudley's away. Now this is where the fight really got interesting. Using the chains, Kitty and Jack had the hounds bound to the wardens who they had tied up after the fighting was done. Breathless, they hopped into the hole Dudley was digging, but it looked like nothing was happening.

"Oh well", said Dudley, "we tried."

Then the pipe gave away and the three agents fell into the dank, dark and very smelly sewer system. The wardens above radioed Zero again.

"This is patrol to base. Targets in the sewer system. No sign of the others."

"Let them.", Zero stated, "I have someone down there waiting for them. And I had my adviser dispatched to deal with the other one. All in all, the grimhounds proved most useful. Get the chains you're bound in broken and follow them. Plasmire is making more hounds now. Don't lose them."

Down in the sewers, Dudley, Kitty, and Jack each put on their flashlights and started walking down the large pipes. Besides the dark murky water flowing nearby and the twisted intersections, it didn't look much different.

"This place has seen better days.", Jack stated as he looked down one direction.

"You've never been down here before?", Dudley asked him.

"Well I was behind enemy lines most of the time and the rest was spent behind bars", Jack informed, "so I didn't have much time for me."

Every intersection they came to they would check each way to be sure there wasn't anybody else around. Having gone through many training sessions at ULTRA, they had more experience than when they were on TUFF's forces. Soon after walking a bit, Dudley noticed something. And Kitty and Jack saw it too.

"What is it?", Kitty asked.

"Cave painting.", Jack stated, "Looks like it was just drawn."

They were examining the cave drawings on the sewer walls. These displayed very similar to the ones neanderthals used to draw. One part of the wall showed Petropolis burning under a pair of dark eyes.

"Wait", Dudley said as he pointed to the wall section, "didn't that already happen?"

Kitty knew what he ment.

"Back when Zero took over?", she asked.

Jack nodded.

"And look at this one", he said as he pointed to another section.

This section was displaying two angels with swords drawn toward a demonic dragon drawing. This one really grabbed their attention. Dudley noticed that the angel on the left had wings that were cloud like and flowing, and then Kitty saw something that made her jaw drop. The angel's face was Dudley's. The angel on the right had wings that looked more like lightning bolts woven into wings and it had Jeremiah's face.

"Hold on", Dudley said as he took it all in, "What does this mean?"

Jack shrugged.

"Beats me, any ideas?"

"I have an idea.", Kitty stated, "I'm guessing it's a prophecy."

Dudley looked perplexed.

"What's a prophecy?", he asked.

"A message that a prophet gets and is shared.", Jack explained, "It often has a divine purpose behind it. Like a downfall or a victory."

Dudley looked at the drawing again. Could this have something to do with him and Jeremiah? He didn't know. But unfortunately, the group heard all too familiar sounds of growling and they were not about to stand around and find out so they quickly started walking again.

They hadn't gone very far when Kitty cried out and fell to the floor. Jack examined her while Dudley looked on in wonder.

"What's with Kitty?", he asked.

Jack was now seeing the spot where the grim hounds had bitten Kitty which was swollen, purple and certainly looked pretty bad.

"Kitty got bit by a grimhound.", Jack informed, "I've heard about these things once when I was collecting intel, but I thought it was just a test. The bite contains bacteria that eats away at the victim, slowly but surely it will kill her."

"Kill her?!", Dudley asked horrified.

Jack nodded and he helped Kitty up by putting her arm around his neck and walking with her clinging to him. Dudley was now worried sick.

"How long does she have?", he asked hoping for time.

Jack paused a moment to think.

"An hour. Two at the most."

Now things looked grim indeed. Kitty was slowly dying and Dudley and Jack were going to have to watch her die. Kitty kept cringing and writhing in agony and was crying knowing her time was running low. And just as they entered a large room, the wardens and hounds they fought earlier were there waiting for them. Jack dropped Kitty and the hounds attacked. Dudley and Jack were able to hold their own, but then the wardens joined in. This could have gone on for a while, but just as it looked like Jack and Dudley would lose, someone fired a projectile which caused a blinding light to envelope the room. There came several battle sounds and when the light lifted, the wardens and grim hounds were nowhere to be seen.

"What was that?", Dudley asked as he caught his breath.

"I have no idea", Jack stated, "but I'm not complaining."

Just then about twenty tough looking pedestrians dropped from the ceiling and had spears pointed their way. One of these pedestrians( a doberman pincher) stepped forward and pointed Dudley's way. Dudley then noticed they were wearing ragged clothes as if they just escaped slavery. The doberman then let out a string of disturbing sounds( like a barf, coughs and gags). Dudley looked confused. Then the doberman pulled a collar out of his ragged pants and put it around his neck.

"Sorry, had my translator off." he stated with a voice as tough as he looked.

"Who are you?" Dudley asked.

"Zeke. What brings you down here to Undesirable territory?"

Dudley was about to answer when another one of Zeke's companions let out a gag and Zeke turned to see Kitty writhing in agony.

"Grimhounds?" Zeke guessed.

Dudley nodded. Zeke's companion then pulled out an injector needle and injected it's contents into Kitty. She flinched and went limp.

"She's temporarily safe", Zeke stated, "but we must get to our home for the cure. Follow us."

Two of Zeke's companions lifted Kitty into the air and Dudley and Jack had to run to keep up with the new group of strange visitors.

"What are Undesirables?", he asked Jack.

"I have a feeling we're about to find out.", Jack put in.


	5. Chapter 5

After following the Undesirables for about a good three to four city blocks, Dudley and Jack were now standing on the ledge overlooking a civilization right under the Petropolis streets. The buildings were more like tumble down shacks, but somehow they stood straight. Zeke led Dudley and Jack through the waste lined lanes of the city and Dudley noticed some civilians out on the streets looking quite miserable. Others were working hard at anvils making iron works and other metal decorations. And some were preparing food for what seemed like the whole joint. Despite the torches being the only light source, and the shortage of technology as well as the strong dumpster odor in the air, it was pretty good for a city.

"How did you get all the way down here?", Dudley asked Zeke.

Zeke paused a moment and ushered his fellow companions to escort Kitty away before turning to Dudley and Jack.

"Kitty is going to our medicine officials to be treated", he assured, "She'll be fine in a while. We were once pedestrians. Innocent pedestrians of the cities above. And then Zero came and turned the world we knew into his own infernal landscape. Horrified beyond our control, we fled for our lives taking shelter in these tunnels forbidden to trend in the glowing sun."

Dudley looked in awe while Jack just raised an eyebrow.

"How long have you all lived here?", Jack asked wondering.

"Over twenty years.", Zeke stated, "The ground provide food for us, but it doesn't satisfy for long. I want to show you something."

Dudley had been looking around and seeing the civilians using grinders to grind up herbs and stuff, was surely eager to see what Zeke had to show. Jack was just looking on and seeing how this entire city thrived beneath Petropolis without TUFF knowing. Finally Zeke stopped at a wall that had drawings very similar to the ones Dudley saw earlier.

"We call this wall the Wall of Foresight", Zeke explained, "where we record every event that has or might happen."

"Like that drawing back there in the tunnels?", asked Dudley, "And by the way, what does that drawing of me and Jeremiah mean?"

Zeke turned and faced Dudley directly.

"When evil has taken hold of civilization, and when hope has waned, the prodigal duo will take up arms, unite the world and the evil will be challenged."

Jack looked perplexed.

"What does that mean?", he asked Zeke.

"It means that Dudley and Jeremiah will unite and fight against Zero's forces.", Zeke stated, "While you take that in, why don't we visit Kitty and see how she's doing?"

As they departed, Dudley noticed more of Zeke's people drawing even more paintings on the wall. Some were nice to see, while others he questioned.

Back above ground, Jeremiah, Iris and Dorian had made their way across the base of the wall to avoid detection. With the sun's rays now having the sky it's natural blue, it ment nothing to Jeremiah cause Zero's darkness still covered Petropolis. Just then, his communicator went off.

"Dark Wolf to Jeremiah. This is Dark Wolf to Jeremiah, over?"

"This is Jeremiah, I hear you loud and clear.", Jeremiah answered, "Over."

Over the sounds of bangs and destruction, Dark Wolf continued transmission.

"The warships should arrive at the Petropolis area within six hours. Get inside and get the defense grid of the wall down before we get there. That's an order."

"Rodger that.", Jeremiah answered, "Dudley and the others have gone below ground. We'll met inside the wall and get the grid down."

Just as Dark Wolf was about to continue, Jeremiah pulled his teammates closer to the wall to avoid a passing sniper's view.

"Best of luck.", Dark Wolf concluded, "Dark Wolf out."

After Dark Wolf had hung up, Jeremiah and Iris activated their grappling cables to ascend the wall. Dorian brought out his tentacles. As Jeremiah and Iris slowly climbed the wall, Dorian climbed close to them while using a special cloaking mechanism to protect them from sight. As Jeremiah and Iris neared the top, they activated their suit's stealth modes while Dorian shrunk his cloaking field to only cover him. As a patrol came by, Jeremiah and Iris gave a few good whacks across their necks to knock them out and change their sneaking suits into the uniforms they were wearing. Dorian then deactivated his stealth field and tied the knocked out patrol up and hid them behind some crates. Jeremiah took a card key from one of the patrol's belts and hid it in his pocket. After setting their face masks to the settings they saw fit, Jeremiah and Iris then took the form of a Great Dane and Siamese.

"Now the hard part." Jeremiah stated as he walked down the wall with Iris behind him. Dorian followed also, but reactivated his stealth field. Finally, they reached the guard tower where two bodyguards stood by. By the look on their faces, and the assault rifles they carried, Jeremiah better have a good reason why he was there.

"Password?" one guard asked harshly as Jeremiah and Iris came near.

Jeremiah had to think fast. One wrong word, and they were found out. Then he unsheathed his serrated knife and stabbed one guard in the side. As the guard slumped over in pain, the other guard looked amused.

"Nice move."

He then opened a panel on the side of the door, input the secret code, and the door opened.

"All hail Zero.", the guard told Jeremiah and Iris as they passed him.

Jeremiah cringed a little, but hardly showed it. How he dreaded that phrase since he was deemed renegade. After getting past the guards, Jeremiah and Iris made their way through the mass of patrols as the inspections occurred. Dorian however was off doing his own thing, usually planting an explosive or something. Time was of the essence, and ULTRA's armada was closing in hoping for a successful attack. Jeremiah just prayed that Byron and Glacia had not told Zero. As evil as he was, the Gemini twins were still loyal to him so it would be natural that they would tell him if intruders were nearby. Just then, an alarm blared.

"All units be advised, we have intruders!"

Now things were really bad. Soldiers were arming themselves and constantly eying around to see if the intruders would show. Jeremiah and Iris had been in situations like this before, so they knew what to do. They kept their heads low and made their way to the streets through the shadows. Dorian met up with them in an abandoned alley.

"This alarm is going to be going on for a while.", Dorian informed, "What's the status of the arrival of the ships?"

Jeremiah checked his watch feature on his communicator.

"Three hours, forty-five minutes. We need to move."

Back on ULTRA HQ, Peg was cleaning up Dudley's room. Hey, she was clean in her room down in the medical room so she decided to clean her son's room to pass the time. She then picked up the picture of Dudley( as a puppy) and her off the dresser and sighed.

"Oh Dudley", she said to herself, "please be safe. I just hope things aren't too hard for you."

Then, Peg noticed something. She took the picture out of the frame to see that the left side of the photo was torn. She put the frame down, and then hurried over to Jeremiah's room. Along the way, she paused to allow several groups to get by to the launch pads. There was bound to be fighting sometime so she had to hurry. After making her way there, Peg took the photo of Donnagon and Jeremiah( as a puppy) out of it's frame to see the right side was torn the same way. She put the two photos on the table, and slowly, brought them together. Closer and closer until...bang! The room rocked violently and the sounds of battle were heard all over the place. Peg had gotten to her feet when the room jerked again. She tried making her way to the door, only to grab the knob as the side of the room exploded. With a large hole sucking the wind out, Peg held on to the doorknob for dear life. At the height they were at, a drop would be the end of her. Outside, swarms of battle jets, and robots were in aerial combat with assaulting mechanical demon like ships and mutated soldiers. It was like World War one and two happening in the air. Then the door started to become unhinged. Peg worried that she would be sucked out into the battle rigged air. The photos she had were tightly in her other hand as she held the knob with the other. Luckily for her, a passing operative( a panther) reached in and pulled her to safety.

"We're in a war zone!", he informed her, "You best get to safety."

Before he left, Peg put the photos in an envelope and handed it to the operative.

"Make sure Dudley gets this?", she asked him.

The operative nodded and Peg headed off to the protective zone of the base to take shelter. With the operative heading to the bridge.


	6. Chapter 6

At the bridge, Dark Wolf was shouting orders like crazy while the operatives at the computers were moving their fingers like nuts.

"Plasma cannon, fire!"

Large beams of energy were flung here and there and several enemy ships were shot down. But the enemy was formidable. Several shots of light enveloped the morning skies and ULTRA fighters were caught in the blast zones.

"Commander, the OMEGA brigade is wiping our armadas.", an operative informed, "If we were to continue, the consequences would be severe."

Dark Wolf had to consider this point. OMEGA had been informed of their arrival and sent their ships to intercept. Finally, a new force arrived from the west and blasted the enemy ships down even further.

"Sir, incoming transmission!", an operative informed Dark Wolf.

Dark Wolf put the screen up and an all too familiar face of Herbert Dumbrowski came up.

"Looks like we made it just in time, Dark Wolf."

Dark Wolf saluted.

"Herbert of TUFF. So what brings you up here?"

"What else? Take Zero down!"

Herbert's ships assaulted the enemy ships and the fight definitely swung in ULTRA's favor. Soon the enemy ships were retreating and the fighter jets were returning to the landing pads. Several mechanic drones were dispatched to patch up the holes that the battle had brought while the medical staff tended the injured. Dark Wolf then took the moment to commune with Herbert.

"So, how did you get out of Zero's clutches might I ask?", Dark Wolf asked.

"Believe me, it wasn't easy getting out of that black ice in a freezer. After that, I laid low and got Keswick to upgrade some old jets at the museum and got the fighters you just saw. We also took hold up in Petropolis' old town area so we could get out unnoticed. Zero isn't going to take this lying down though."

Just then, the one operative( the panther from before) came forward and handed Dark Wolf the envelope.

"Mrs. Puppy wants this sent to Jeremiah and Dudley. Permission to transport it?"

Dark Wolf looked over the envelope using his eye patch scanner and handed it back.

"Permission granted. Transport when the devise is up."

Then a call came up from the mechanic's lab.

"Mechanics to bridge, our equipment is damaged from the fight. We'll need some time to get it back up and running. Fortunately the weaponry is still online so we can still fight."

"And the transporter?", Dark Wolf asked.

"Damaged too. But we're working on it's repairs and it will be up and running soon."

Back under Petropolis, Dudley was checking around the Undesirable's city while Jack and Zeke led the way to what looked like the ruins of a pharmacy. Inside, several patients were in casts, lying on the dusty sofas, and one that was just being looked over by a very weird looking doctor. It was Kitty alright and Dudley came over.

"Is she going to be alright?", he asked the doctor.

The doctor( a beagle dog) just looked at him blankly. Then Zeke came over and after turning his translator collar off, spoke in a few gags(like he was going to hurl), a couple of coughs, and a sneeze. While the doctor spoke in a similar fashion, Jack just looked confused.

"Do you have any idea what their saying?", he asked Dudley.

"Beats me.", Dudley shrugged, "This language is new."

After a couple more minutes, Zeke turned his translator collar back on.

"Doc says Kitty will make it. She just needs rest."

Dudley and Jack sighed in relief. Kitty stirred a while, then opened an eye so she could talk to Dudley. Zeke and the doctor walked over to inspect other patient's progress, while Dudley stayed by Kitty's cot.

"These undesirables may be not much to look at, but they do know their healing.", she told him as she pointed to the bandaged wound covered with a layer of mud like substance, "Who knew, mud and herbs were so effective in liberating sickness?"

"Now I know why Mom always went for a spa treatment on Sundays.", Dudley thought to himself.

Jack put his hand on Kitty's and mentioned her to take it easy.

"You heard Zeke. You best get some rest.", he told her.

Kitty nodded. She would need her strength for battles to come. As she was settling down, a loud battle horn sounded off. Zeke looked alarmed.

"What was that?", Jack asked.

The horn sounded again and Zeke ran out followed by Jack and Dudley.

"That's our warning horn.", Zeke explained, "We use it for alarm when we're being attacked."

"ATTACKED?!", Dudley and Jack gasped in unification.

They had not gone very far, when they saw on the streets near the edge of the city, the same grim hounds and wardens that had followed them and were tearing the place apart. Pedestrians were screaming and fleeing, but the grim hounds were fast and cutting off exits. Jack armed himself and charged forward to help while Zeke held Dudley back so he could say something before going off.

"I'll get Chief Whammera."

"Whammera?", asked Dudley, "Who's that?"

Zeke's expression just told Dudley that he needed to help Jack out so he ran off and Dudley went to help Jack out. No sooner had the grim hounds caught Dudley's scent( the one they got from the black fabric), they stopped chasing pedestrians and attacked Jack and Dudley. The wardens continued with their wrecking and headed elsewhere. Jack had remembered the last encounter so he battled more carefully. Dudley however was in a very similar position. And he thought the grim hound's breath smelled foul before. Then a chunk of debris came flying over and hit the hound in the head, stunning it long enough for Dudley to get the hound off and stand up. Just when it looked like Dudley and Jack had this fight down, the hounds turned and ran off.

"Did we do that?", Dudley asked Jack.

"No. I called them off.", stated a familiar voice behind them. Jack and Dudley turned to see Snaptrap, Larry, and Ollie standing ominously nearby. They looked a lot different than Jack remembered. They were bigger, stronger, and more primal looking almost like they turned into monsters.

"Nice to see you Dudley.", Snaptrap said with a creepy smile, "After Zero told us you were down here, I though he was bluffing, but it seems I was mistaken. By the way, where's Katswell?"

Jack frowned.

"Somewhere you won't get to!", he said defiantly.

Snaptrap armed himself and his reapers( Ollie and Larry) drew their scythe blades. Jack grabbed an old pipe and used it like a battle staff and Dudley got into a stance. This fight was not going to be easy.

Above ground, Jeremiah and Iris were keeping lookout while Dorian hacked into the mainframe of the shield generator that was stabilizing the shield around Petropolis. They had avoided patrols, seen fighter planes take off, and nearly spotted by the guards.

"Dorian, could you hurry up?", Jeremiah asked.

"You can't rush perfection.", Dorian countered.

"I'm not rushing perfection, I'm rushing you!", Jeremiah snapped quietly.

Iris put her hand on each member's mouth.

"Stop arguing!", she said sternly, "We are on a mission!"

Dorian and Jeremiah saw her point and after she took her hands away, they looked each other in the eyes.

"Sorry Dorian.", said Jeremiah.

"Sorry Jeremiah.", said Dorian.

After they apologized to each other, Dorian continued until a small ding was heard and Dorian's tentacles started messing around with the generator's insides. They wanted the generator to blow, but not yet. There was going to be quite a firework display. After securing the hatch again, Dorian retracted his tentacles and turned to his fellow agents.

"Well, that does it. It's set to blow when we're ready."

Jeremiah and his team shifted into stealth mode and made their way silently through the streets. Suddenly, a shadow flew past them. The three agents slid into an alley and Jeremiah scanned the air. Above them, Bird Brain( in his new monster look) was flying around in circles with his henchmen flying beside him almost like they were a group of fighter planes in formation. Jeremiah knew all too well that by the look of Bird Brain's new body, ability to fly, and savagery, that Zero had mutated him into his personal experimental bird of prey. Bird Brain circled a few more times, and finally flew off taking his armada with him. Jeremiah waited a few minutes in case they came back before talking.

"Zero has his birds looking for us. We have to get that wall sabotaged, and quick!"

It was true. ULTRA's war ships were nearing by the second and there was no time to waste. Quickly and carefully, Jeremiah's team made their way to the next generator's holding space. It was in a warehouse and the walls looked pretty solid. Dorian used a laser to cut a few blocks loose so the team could get in and blend in with the darkness. Jeremiah checked his watch and they had two hours on the clock.


	7. Chapter 7

As the day grew later, Dark Wolf looked toward the Petropolis fortress coming up slowly, but surely. To make sure Jeremiah was doing okay, he activated the transmitter on the dashboard.

"This is Dark Wolf calling Jackal. Repeat. This is Dark Wolf calling Jackal. Over?"

The transmission gear had been repaired as well as the other equipment and walls that had been damaged in that fight with OMEGA's air forces. There was static for a bit and then Jeremiah's face came on screen.

"This is Jackal. My team has gotten the generators rigged for destruction, but Zero knows we're here. We managed to elude them for now, but we won't be able to hold this up for long."

"Copy that Jackal.", Dark Wolf answered, "We will be assaulting in a few hours. Any reading on the others?"

"Negative. Dudley and his team's transmission gear must have been damaged. I just hope he's alright."

"So do I", Dark Wolf agreed, "but for now, focus on your objectives. Hopefully the others will meet up with you in the city limits. Dark Wolf out."

Dark Wolf hung up and it was just then that the radar started to beep like crazy.

"Sir", one of the crew members called out, "we got bogies coming in fast!"

Ahead, a cloud of flying corpse like creatures with several ships were flying their way.

"Prepare for combat!", Dark Wolf called out, "All troops, battle stations! Let's move it people!"

The crew went into overdrive. Arming weapon systems and preparing the launch pad again. Herbert's ships were doing the same thing. Then the enemy ships paused. ULTRA still got it's troops up and running, but Dark Wolf just looked on.

"This is odd.", he thought to himself, "Why would Zero have his forces make a halt?"

Then the enemy forces parted and Petropolis' wall armed several cannons. This was barely seen as ULTRA's forces were still far off, but Dark Wolf saw through his eye patch( which he had moved over his night eye). Then the cannons fired off plasma lasers.

"Break formation!", Dark Wolf called, but the order came too late.

Although the shields were up, the ships staggered from the blasts. The forces outside were trying to avoid them, and some were. Others however were disintegrated the moment the beams hit them. An alarm sounded off.

"Sir, shield is depleting!", an agent working on deck called out.

It was true, the shield surrounding the ship( and the others for that matter) were turning red which ment critical trouble. Dark Wolf couldn't take it much longer, but he wasn't going down without a fight. Just as he was about to give the order, a tremendous bang rang out, and the wall shook, and crumbled causing the plasma cannons to stop firing and that was when Dark Wolf's forces opened fire. They were weakened, but not out. The enemy had also engaged in battle. Using similar tactics, Dark Wolf seemed to have the enemy at bay.

"Well done, Jackal.", Dark Wolf said looking at the crumbling wall.

Back underground, Dudley and Jack were hard at work fending off Snaptrap and his harvesters. But while they were doing so, the wardens and their grim hounds were terrorizing everyone else. Dudley feared for Kitty. She hadn't recovered yet and that ment she was vulnerable. Breathlessly, Jack and Dudley jumped away from the assaulting enemies, but Snaptrap used his ability to rot things to weaken walls, crumble ledges and hold leverage.

"Give up Agent Puppy!", Snaptrap mocked, "What chance do you have against us now?"

Dudley had to admit that Snaptrap had a point. Jack and him were running out of steam and who knew what the wardens were doing. Over the screaming of people, and the crashing of pavement and rubble, an enormous roar echoed off the walls causing the fighting to pause.

"What on Earth was that?", Jack asked.

As if something answered him, the ground quaked for a sec and then again. Almost as if something was heading their way. This was when the wardens came running past them and man they looked scared. Just when Dudley was about to ask, a bellowing roar made them all turn to see an enormous honey badger dressed in metal shoulder pads, a pair of very dirty pants, sandals and wielding a large metal mace that looked like it was crafted out of debris and metal and Dudley doubted anybody could lift a weapon that big. But that wasn't that made him stand out. His muscles and height were what made him frightening. His muscles were bigger than any body builder Dudley had ever seen and at the height of ten feet, no wonder he was scary. His blue eyes were bloodshot and his badger claws were just as menacing. He had red hair in a crew cut hair style as though he came back from the military and he was wearing metal dog tags around his thick neck. The badger banged his mace head on the ground with a deafening crash causing large bloodied blades to swing out. Snaptrap and his reapers were horrified by this badger who gave a shout like a viking battle cry and charged. It was no use trying to resist. Snaptrap and his reapers turned and ran away as fast as they were able, but the badger was upon them. And man that badger played rough. A couple minutes later, the badger literally kicked Snaptrap and his reapers into the sewer pipes like they were footballs. Then he turned and charged at Dudley and Jack.

"Help!", screamed Dudley.

"We're doomed!", screamed Jack.

But just when the badger was about to swing his mace, he paused and sniffed the air. They turned to see an old puma in a tattered cloak hold out a bowl full of something red and transparent( like grape juice). The badger lumbered over and the old puma stepped aside to reveal a barrel of the stuff. Zeke had also shown up with Kitty( who had recovered) and were standing beside Jack and Dudley who watched perplexed. The badger dropped his mace and using both hands lifted the barrel like a huge soup bowl and started guzzling down the liquid.

"What is that stuff?", Dudley asked Zeke.

"Shh!", Zeke hissed( his translator collar was on), "Don't disturb him."

The badger put the barrel down and after wiping his mouth turned to his audience. His eyes looked normal and he seemed calmer now. Zeke walked up to the badger's side and the old puma took the other before the badger started his line of gags, raspberries, and coughs. Zeke listened carefully before turning to Dudley, Kitty, and Jack.

"Chief Caleb insists on offering his gratitude to the three of you for your help. Reynaldo( the puma) would say likewise."

Reynaldo did a brief nod of approval while Caleb just looked eager.

"Tell him that we accept his gratitude and how we can leave.", Kitty told Zeke.

While Zeke translated Kitty's words, Dudley pulled on Kitty's sleeve.

"We're leaving now?", he asked.

"We got a mission to do." Kitty told him as Caleb talked some more to Zeke who turned his collar back on and looking their way again.

"Chief Caleb says: Reynaldo will tell you and best of luck."

Caleb picked his huge mace up and folded the blades back in before lumbering away. Reynaldo spoke very similar and Zeke translated.

"Reynaldo says: Follow the origin and the way is revealed."

Reynaldo said nothing more. He just turned and walked away in a slumped sort of way. Zeke escorted Dudley, Kitty and Jack to a wall that displayed a fiery place and Zero looming over it.

"This is where it starts.", Zeke informed, "It tells how we came to live here."

After making sure they were keeping up, Zeke started to tell the origin.

"Many years ago, after Zero was brought into the world, he terrorized his enemies with infernal power and cunning. We were once pedestrians like everyone else, until Zero decided to use us as his new living machines to work his furnaces and waste disposal units far below in Hades. We were tortured, some slain, and others torn of their hope and lives. Caleb, our strongest and head of our society was one such soul. Finally, Zero's left hand had decided to think for himself and he reached out to us, teach us, guide us."

Zeke was now in front of a drawing that displayed a crowd of people gathered at the feet of a drawing of Jeremiah. Dudley was stunned. Jeremiah made allies of Zero's fallen enemies? Could any of this be true? The drawings showing Jeremiah teaching Zeke's people to blacksmith, tailor, heal, and other things was certainly convincing.

"We allied ourselves to Zero's hand for he had gone rouge and was no longer a member of Zero's forces. We found others, we formed a revolution. A revolution that changed our lives. Hence the Underworld Revolution began."

Zeke was now in front of a drawing of Jeremiah and Zero in combat over a huge war zone between and below them. After that one, a drawing of Zeke's people breaking the chains of slavery and fleeing.

"When the battle ended, our people were free. But we were not like the people we once knew. We were more. Not fond of looks, but our humanity remained. We built our own home. A place where we would live, and to belong."

Now Dudley and his fellow agents were in front of a drawing of Caleb and Zeke's people constructing buildings, fountains, and a lot of other things.

"Caleb, who was the Hand's most trusted in the revolution, was chosen to lead us into our future. Undesirable we thought we were, but we will not let that name be our shame. And we've been living underground ever since."

By now, Zeke had lead his audience to a large room where Caleb was and his mace was at his side. In front of him was a roller coaster car and Zeke opened the car door.

"Well, here's the way out."

"A carnival ride?", Kitty asked.

Dudley didn't mind. He was already in with Jack and Kitty following. Zeke closed the door.

"Please remain seated and keep your hands, arms, and other body parts inside the car at all times."

Just when Dudley was about to ask why, Caleb swung his mace and sent the car speeding through a series of pipes at such fast speeds, that if it had a light sequence, it would make a killer amusement park ride. Dudley, Kitty, and Jack had to hold on because the car was literally airborne for a couple of jumps and then after several jerky turns, it stopped with a halt, and sent it's passengers flying into the air, and onto a pile of soft pillows.

"Wow.", said Dudley, "Can we go again?"

Unfortunately, this wasn't over because the pillows parted and a giant spring sent the agents upward. The ceiling parted as the agents got near and closed when they came out. After landing, Dudley, Kitty, and Jack looked around to see that they were in the old town part of Petropolis. Without a word, the crept into the shadows and Jack pulled out his communicator and made a phone call.

"We're in.", Jack informed the other end when the other end picked up.

"Copy that. Proceed to checkpoint."


	8. Chapter 8

By now Jeremiah and his group had made their way to the destination in the old town district and were getting some schematics that Dorian had drawn sorted. The wall was a successful run, but Zero wasn't going to be handing over the city without a fight. Or was he? Just as his team came toward the intersection where the old town fountain was standing, they found Dudley and his group waiting there.

"So you made it I see.", Jeremiah stated as Dudley fidgeted with his pants again.

"We took a little detour.", Dudley explained, "You try escaping a pack of...uh whatever those things were?"

Jeremiah looked perplexed.

"What things?", he asked.

Dudley described the grim hounds to Jeremiah and Jeremiah nodded.

"I see. Zero thought they could benefit on Earth as they do in Hades. Or whatever."

Dudley looked unsure.

"You fought them?"

"Yeah", Jeremiah stated, "I protected Iris from them once."

Iris cringed. She definably remembered that time. Dorian pulled out a small hologram projector and displayed an image of Petropolis.

"With the wall down, and Dark Wolf holding the forces of the enemy at bay, we should be able to get through the city without much patrols in the way."

Jack nodded.

"Yes, but Zero would have thought this through so he had Birdbrain and his goons circling around in case the cause of the sewer break in was reported.

Then Dudley remembered something.

"Hey Jeremiah?", he asked, "You know Caleb of the Undesirables?"

"Why yes I do.", Jeremiah said with pride, "He was once a military man. Then OMEGA did some steroid experiment on him and he became what you saw. At least his humanity didn't fade. Then he would really be hard to get along with."

Just then, a nearby pay phone rang. Kitty wasn't sure their location was safe, so she had Dudley go answer it.

"Hello?", Dudley asked when he picked the phone up.

"Dudley? It's Zeke.", the other end responded.

Jeremiah heard so he pulled out a two way screen and put it on the phones top which then showed Zeke. Because it was two way, Zeke could see and hear them as they could him.

"So Zeke, how are things down below?", Dudley asked.

"Caleb's getting Whammera polished up in case any enemy shows up again."

"Hey, who's Whammera?", Dudley asked Zeke.

"Oh that?", Zeke asked, "That's Caleb's mace's name. Oh and Jeremiah, long time no see."

Jeremiah stepped close to Dudley so Zeke could see him.

"Yeah, it's been a while. Dudley tells me he found your home down below."

"Sure did.", Zeke answered, "Reynaldo just came in after adding to our...prophecy. He said that when the duo battle the tyranny of the evil, to restore balance, one of the pair...will perish."

Dudley's eyes went wide.

"As in..one of us will...die?"

"Unfortunately, yes.", Zeke said very humble, "But hopefully, it won't happen for a while. Just stay positive and do what's right okay?"

Dudley felt a little better, but not very. Jeremiah on the other hand( he heard this before) took the news rather well.

"Well, we best get our liberation underway.", Jeremiah said to Zeke, "Thanks for helping us out."

"Anytime.", Zeke answered, "And if Caleb asks about you, I'll tell him you said hi."

Zeke hung up, and the screen went blank. Jeremiah put the screen away and turned to Dudley.

"Don't let Reynaldo's words fool ya. Let's focus on what we need to do. Just don't loose sight on what we need to do. Now let's get out there, and kick some metal."

Dudley felt better. Jeremiah seemed to know that he was worried about Reynaldo's prophecy so Jeremiah boosted his moral.

"Yeah, let's do it."

While this was going on, Dorian and Jack were doing some schematics and planning on the next phase.

"According to the laws of physics, as well as the counterweight of reason, the forces of this city are being deployed from a breeding site somewhere in the area.", Dorian stated as his assistants continued writing in the ground.

Jack looked closely and pointed out some points on the display which Dorian put up.

"If I'm right, Zero would most likely have those spaces guarded. He doesn't just let us get through his first line so easily. He's up to something, but what?"

"Indeed.", Dorian agreed, "Zero shouldn't be taken lightly. Who knows what he's up to? Best estimate, he's luring us into a state where he can wipe us out. Could be a theory though."

Just then, Jeremiah and Dudley had walked over.

"Hey, what's going on over here?", Dudley asked as he fidgeted with his pants' belt, "Jeez, these things are so hard to get used to."

"If you must know", Dorian answered, "Jack and I are planning out the next phase in our operation."

"Okay, don't get so snippy.", Dudley answered sounding uneasy.

Jack could tell Dudley was troubled so he brought the issue in another direction.

"With Dark Wolf holding the main entry, we need to figure out how Zero is still getting enough forces to hold out. His machines must be mass produced somewhere, but where?"

Kitty and Iris were keeping watch for a while and after clarifying that the location was a safe one, they rejoined the group.

"I think I have a theory.", Kitty stated, "Zero would want to put something important in a place only he would know about right?"

"Right.", Jack answered, "That way he could have us kept at bay while he stayed back and kept the endless flow coming. Now where would you put something like that?"

Everyone pondered for a minute, but it wasn't long before Jeremiah got sight of the sky that he looked alarmed.

"Get into a shadow. Now!"

While Jeremiah and his group got into hiding, Dudley, Kitty, and Jack looked up to see Birdbrain and his goons flying over the area. They got the message and made themselves hidden too. As they circled around, Dudley's mind remembered how effective they were. He would know. When he served Zero, Birdbrain was one of his main fighters and was quite formidable in combat. After a couple more rounds, Birdbrain led his armada away again. Only after several minutes later did Jeremiah and Dudley's teams come out of hiding.

"Zero knows we're here.", Jeremiah said gravely, "We need to get our forces past the outer wall immediately. We'll split up and search for anything that might be a lead. Just try not to be seen."

Jeremiah led his team to a nearby corner, but Dudley held his arm.

"Be careful.", Dudley told him for he was concerned before taking his hand away.

"I will be.", Jeremiah assured him, "Just make sure your team makes it too."

As Birdbrain and his henchmen made their way to the metal spires that outlined the fortress that Zero had made, they were greeted by Byron and Glacia who were sitting near the edge. After landing, thae conversation got underway.

"What brings you two here?", Birdbrain asked harshly.

"Zero dispatched us for-", Glacia started.

"Special observations.", Byron finished.

Even though the enemy had made their way past the wall, the Gemini twins didn't look at all worried.

"You did realize that Dudley has made it past the sewer system.", Birdbrain informed the Gemini.

"Who?", Owl asked only to be whacked over the head by Birdbrain.

"Keep quiet!", he snapped, "I was talking to the Gemini!"

The Gemini twins couldn't hold their snickers.

"Even as abominations, your henchmen-", Byron started.

"Are still annoying."Glacia finished.

Birdbrain was getting annoyed. The Gemini's way of talking was getting to him.

"Would you two stop speaking like that?", he asked.

"That's how we always talk.", the Gemini answered in unification.

Just before the conversation could go any further, Zero appeared in a reflective surface nearby.

"Is something a miss?", he asked coldly.

Birdbrain's team and the Gemini turned to see Zero walk out of the reflective surface he was occupying.

"Just delivering information sir.", the Gemini reported in unification.

Zero swished his trench coat( now orange) as he hovered over.

"The operation is successful. Now I got everything in place."

"Place for what?", Birdbrain asked.

Zero zapped him with a chaotic bolt.

"If you need to ask, don't interrupt me.", Zero sneered, "Snaptrap already informed me of the..incident in the sewers. No surprise there. If they found my factory locations, your armada Birdbrain is going to be my next dinner!"

That really shook Birdbrain's team.

"We won't let you down sir.", Zippy assured Zero as she fluttered near Birdbrain.

Zero said nothing. He just fired one chaotic bolt after another at them til they took off again. The Gemini twins wanted to go too, but the way Zero looked at them, they stayed put.

"Keep an eye on them.", Zero informed them, "And I brought a little back up for you."

Zero snapped his fingers and Damien( still alive and well) appeared next to him.

"I'll be watching over this area.", Damien informed the Gemini as he adjusted his dark clothes, "Zero has what he came for after all."

Damien opened his shirt into large bat wings as the Gemini opened theirs the same way. Zero took off back through the reflective surface he came. Once airborne, Damien and the Gemini took off to put Zero's other plans into motion.


	9. Chapter 9

After sneaking through some patrols now heading toward the war zone where ULTRA's armada was holding them back, Jeremiah's group had made their way to what used to be the Petropolis supermarket. Hey, working on missions works up quite an appetite. Dudley's group had made their way to the factory district near the south end of the Petropolis area. It was worth a look at least. Now that they had their positions placed, let's see how the fighting is going, shall we? Dark Wolf certainly had his hands full. The wall was quite the obstacle, now Zero had forces at the ready right behind it and ready to fight the moment the wall fell. It was tough, but ULTRA never gave up before.

"Sir", one of the deckhands reported, "we are receiving a transmission from inside the city area."

"On screen!", Dark Wolf ordered.

After a couple of beeps, the transmission screen appeared and Jeremiah's face was on it.

"This is Jackal, we are heading into western areas for inspection."

"And the other team?", Dark Wolf asked.

"Heading to southern area.", Jeremiah reported, "We think Zero has factories here somewhere but not sure where. We'll find them and put them out of commission. We'll then meet up back at TUFF's old headquarters."

"Just stay alive and keep up the work Jackal.", Dark Wolf informed, "You were not chosen for this mission because you were my first option. We'll hold out as long as we can, but our shields are fading and not restoring fast enough. If you're going to find factories, better hurry! Understood?"

"Copy that." Jeremiah stated.

Just then, another transmission came in and a second screen showing Jack's face came on.

"This is Jack Rabbit reporting. Over?"

"Hey Jack.", Jeremiah said, "How's things down in your area?"

Before Jack could answer, there came a crash from Jack's screen.

"Do I want to know what that was?", Dark Wolf asked.

"It was Kitty.", Dudley's voice came from behind Jack.

"It was not!", Kitty's voice sounded.

Jack groaned.

"I'll call back later. Over and out."

Then Jack's screen went blank and Dark Wolf and Jeremiah continued.

"Dorian's analyzing the area for any signs of high paced activity. We'll concentrate there. Jackal out."

Jeremiah's screen went out and Dark Wolf went back to manning the battlefield. So far the plasma weapons of the armada was keeping things in their favor, but the enemy wasn't going down easily. They had weapons and aerial forces that were certainly formidable. Then an alarm sounded and a red light filled the deck.

"Report!", Dark Wolf ordered.

"Shield's reported in red zone sir!", a deckhand stated, "Our shields will blow in two hours unless power is drawn to empower them!"

"Activate the solar panel transfer mechanism!", Dark Wolf ordered and the deckhands went into a frenzy of getting the mechanism up.

"Solar transference begun!", a deckhand yelled.

The sounds of explosions and gunfire were still heard, but now the shield was getting stabilized, for now. Dark Wolf looked toward the other ships and saw they had the same ideal he did. Now Jeremiah and Dudley had to get those forces drawn back, or they were going down with a bang.

Now with that going on, Peg was in the hospital bay tending the injured. She had never worked this hard. Sure she worked part time at the Petropolis hospital for a couple months, but this took the cake. When a few injured soldiers recovered, five more came in from the battles outside and the constant alarms bangs and shaking wasn't helping very much. She was in the middle of patching up a soldier who had his hand burned after handling a burning opponent.

"Just keep your hand still til the ointment takes effect.", she instructed him.

The soldier( a husky) understood, but the itching was kind of hard to ignore. Luckily for him, it was over in a few minutes when Peg removed the bindings to show his hand had cleared up.

"Thanks Mrs. Puppy.", he told her over his shoulder as he headed back out.

Peg didn't have time for statements. She had other patients that needed her care and with several other doctors and nurses rolling out medical supplies, she had to get a move on. As she was working with a doctor( an American badger), he took notice on her skill as they worked to straighten out the patient's twisted joints.

"Hey, you're pretty good with treating patients Mrs. Puppy."

"Thanks.", she answered, "It pays when your ex-husband was a scientist and doctor. You're not bad yourself Doctor..."

"Lars. Doctor Daniel Lars. It's on the tag."

He pointed to his name tag which showed the name he said. Then the place gave a jerk and after getting things back in place, everyone resumed treating while Daniel took some time to talk to Peg.

"Ever thought about working full time at a hospital?", he asked her, "I think you'd really hit it off."

"I often did.", Peg told him as they finished up their patient and moving on to the next, "But my son needed guidance and I was in a hard spot. Always eager to get something exciting in his life. I just got so worried that he'd get hurt, I got carried away. So I chose to be a stay at home mom while my son helped with the bills with his new job."

Daniel had listened carefully and being the understanding type of badger, he knew what she went through.

"Well I best get back to work. If you change your mind on working at the hospital, I'll be there."

"Thanks Daniel.", Peg told him giving him a smile, "I'll think about it."

Peg went back to treating patients when a loudspeaker overhead sounded off.

"Mrs. Peg Puppy, please report to the bridge. Mrs. Peg Puppy, please report to the bridge."

Peg could tell this was important so she left some supplies on a desk near a patient's bed and headed for the bridge. The closer she got, the more the bangs and violent screams of war she heard. Luckily she kept her cool( somewhat) and made it to the bridge where Dark Wolf was still barking orders.

"Maintain position! Keep the shield generators going! Let's move it people! Move it, move it, move it!"

As he noticed Peg, he brought his voice and attitude down to a common chat.

"Mrs. Puppy, I would like you to know that your package you told us to ship out will be set and ready for deployment shortly."

"That's nice.", Peg told him, "How's Dudley?"

"Unknown.", Dark Wolf stated, "But rest assured, he's in good hands and with the best agents we can send into this mayhem."

Peg felt a little better, but not much. Hey, she was a single parent and could you blame her for being worried? She could feel worried later for she had remembered that there were patients still waiting on her.

"I'll get back to helping.", she informed Dark Wolf as she turned to leave, "But thanks for informing me on my special request."

Dark Wolf didn't answer, but she saw that he understood and as she left he went back to his original mood.

Now that was all going on while back outside, Damien and the Gemini were up to no good. They had observed the fighting and knew that Zero's time was thinning and just for the record their time was too. They left the scene of conflict and flew this way and that obviously on lookout. Nowhere they didn't check. As they circled the back end of the western district, Damien heard a beeper coming from his special crystal.

"What's this?", he asked as he looked inside.

This black crystal shard was given to him by Zero for good measure and it was showing a vision of a familiar threesome. And as they looked on, the Gemini and Damien each noted that these three would be easy.

"Well, well. If it isn't our old friend-", Byron started.

"Dudley Puppy.", Glacia finished.

"Indeed.", Damien agreed, "I think we should pay a visit sometime. But for now we have orders and I believe we can arrange a substitute."

Damien tapped his shard a couple times and Birdbrain's face took it's place.

"Hey Birdbrain, I have new orders.", Damien instructed, "The generators are being targeted and I would like you to get over and keep the guarding up."

As much as Birdbrain wanted to object, he knew all too well that Damien had a direct line to Zero and if he refused to follow orders, Damien would tattle and Zero would really let him have it.

"On it, sir.", Birdbrain said with a sigh as his image faded.

Then something below caught his eye so Damien went to investigate with the Gemini following. The flew down into a dark alley and who should be there when they landed and dispersed their wings? Galaril injured, but still breathing.

"What are you doing here?", Damien asked with a scorn.

"Missionary work.", Galaril answered as though Damien wasn't there, "Got time off for good behavior."

"You mean you bribed your way out.", Damien countered.

Galaril could tell by the way the Gemini's stance, that he need a good reason or else this would get ugly.

"Damien, you always could see through me. And Zero only made you not long back."

Galaril gave a humble look, but Damien wasn't buying it.

"I may be an apparition of Dudley's dark side, but I know when you're up to something Galaril.", he sneered, "Unless you have something important we should know about, do us a favor, and get lost!"

Then Galaril smiled wickedly.

"You have no idea what Zero knows about this fight. You think he's just going to let ULTRA take this place back like this? He wants this to happen so he can spring the booby trap he laid here."

Damien raised an eyebrow.

"If you're lying, you better be praying."


	10. Chapter 10

Jeremiah had worked hard before, and this time it was no exception. His team had scoured around the entire western part of Petropolis avoiding detection, as well as helping some people still enslaved get to safety. By now his team had made their way to a bus stop and Dorian put out a map display while Jeremiah and Iris rechecked their stuff.

"According to my calculations", Dorian started, "we are presently near a massive amount of energy streaming from the pipes underneath us in an accelerated rate in which most cases would mean we are close to one of the enemy factory facilities where their machines are being mass produced."

Dorian often spoke in scientific terms at times, but Jeremiah and Iris knew what he ment.

"Looks like we're good on supplies.", Iris informed as she helped Jeremiah pack up, "But we do know that our allies are counting on us to get the enemy forces depleted."

"And take them down we will.", Jeremiah said firmly, "Now lets get our stealth modes on, and roll."

Jeremiah, Iris and Dorian each activated their stealth modes and slipping ever so carefully and quietly, they continued their investigation. Dorian mapped out the energy readings and it seemed to head in the western direction which was where they were going. Unfortunately, it seemed someone had anticipated this and there were several patrols of androids and guards on lookout. Upon closer inspection, Dorian saw they had stealth vision goggles and that was when he gave Jeremiah the info using hand signals. Jeremiah's group slipped out of sight before deactivating stealth mode.

"Great.", Jeremiah thought bitterly, "We get close to where a factory is and now, Zero has guards at the kazoo that can see us. What next?"

Now Jeremiah had to think carefully. He could make a diversion, but that was a temporary measure and only a few would leave. Dorian saw the doubt in Jeremiah's face and silently drew some schematics.

"Let's see. Counterweight of sound, theory of reaction time to the tenth degree, and carry the exponent of detection."

Dorian's assistants had not come out, and it looked like they were gonna have to. Finally, Dorian whispered a strategy in Jeremiah's ear.

"Well, it's a shot, but let's give it a whirl."

After getting the routine the patrol was doing, Jeremiah and Iris went in from one side while Dorian went from the other. When they were close, Jeremiah pulled out a smoke bomb and right when the patrol had their blind side open, let it fly. It landed nearby in a trash can and as Jeremiah expected, the patrol looked in the bomb's direction.

"Warning! Disturbance detected! Investigation beginning!"

A couple of the guards went over and that was when the smoke bomb exploded causing the can to blow, take down the investigating guards and cover the area with thick oily smoke. It was too thick to see, but the androids knew the cause because Jeremiah and his group had attacked. Jeremiah slashed through the enemy group with his claws out and using the finest form of gymnastics and spy moves, Iris covered him with her serrated daggers out. Dorian had his assistants out and with them keeping the enemy busy, Dorian went to work on the door security system. It lasted a few minutes and when the smoke cleared away, Jeremiah's group had the patrol down and Dorian had his assistants put away while opening the door manually.

"Good job everyone.", Jeremiah said with team leader pride.

"Only the finest.", Iris answered with a blush.

"And a door security system down in only two minutes flat.", Dorian stated, "We should ask Dark Wolf to make this a simulation."

"Later.", Jeremiah told him, "We got work we need to do."

Neither Iris or Dorian could disagree with that. Dorian removed the stealth detecting goggles from some of the fallen guards for further investigation and because he had an idea for a series of inventions he could work on back in his lab. But as Jeremiah's group turned to go inside the building the patrol was guarding, one of the androids had it's head start to beep. Jeremiah heard this and sent a sharp jagged piece of shrapnel into it causing the transmission it was sending to be cut off.

"And now Zero knows we're here."

A sharp beeping came from Damian's crystal and when he pulled it out. Galaril had already gone on his own little "errand" and Damien and the Gemini were doing some further investigation. Damian waved his hand over the crystal and after showing some static, an image of a facility and Jeremiah came on.

"Well, well.", Damian said wickedly, "The renegade returns. And this time, I'll personally see he won't get away."

"What about our orders?", the Gemini asked in unification.

"Zero will send Bird Brain and his flying buffoons on the other facility.", Damian assured them, "And you two can finish our investigation. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a score to settle."

Damian flew off out of sight and the Gemini continued their investigation.

"So far, we got our factories up to top-", Byron started.

"Capacity.", Glacia put in, "Master wants us to be sure that the generators are-"

"Well guarded.", Byron answered, "The wall's generators have gone down, and our master won't like it if the generators inside-"

"Go too.", Glacia said, "So the renegade sneaks into our city, and now thinks he can-"

"Outwit us?", Byron guessed.

Then the Gemini's communicators went off and they answered.

"Zero to Gemini. Damian has gone off course. Report!"

"Damian wishes to fight against-", Glacia started.

"The renegade, sir.", Byron finished.

Even though he wasn't answering, the Gemini could tell from the silence that Zero had a temper flaring up real fast.

"When I get my hands on that dog," Zero growled, "he's going to be my next fur coat lining!"

"You want us to help?", the Gemini asked hoping Zero wouldn't yell.

"No.", Zero answered with a much calmer tone, "Let him learn his error the hard way. And after that alarm I got, I dispatched our aerial force to...intervene. Any word on Galaril?"

"He vanished sir.", the Gemini stated in unification.

"Trying to get his own part is he?", Zero asked, "In any case, get Chameleon on the radio and inform him that his assistant and him are required for patrol duty. Zero out!"

Zero hung up and the Gemini flew over towards the old suburbs district now a field of desolate ruins and slaves still working hard. After landing nearby, they made a radio call.

"I'll be right there.", said the voice on the other end.

Now in another part of Petropolis, Dudley's group was taking a rest. They had avoided patrols, and almost getting caught on more than one occasion. Kitty was not pleased with how Dudley still wasn't used to wearing his pants. They were now in a dark alley and Jack kept lookout.

"Okay, we're close." Kitty stated as she put a map of the city on the ground, "And if we make our way to the eastern limits, Zero should have a factory in the area."

Kitty looked up to see Dudley who was too busy wrestling with his pants to notice.

"Hey! Didn't you hear a word I said?!", she asked him harshly.

Dudley stopped for a moment and looked her way.

"Sorry Kitty, I guess I'm still not used to these pants on me. The seat still rides up my butt like a freight elevator."

Dudley fidgeted with his pants and Jack turned around.

"Will you two keep it down?", he asked, "You're both going to get us caught."

Dudley and Kitty tried calming down. They knew Jack had a point. Jack walked over and helped Dudley with his pants problem before going back to lookout. Kitty then ran the intel to Dudley again.

"So the next destination is eastern limits?", he asked her.

Kitty nodded. Then Jack turned around again.

"We got company!"

Dudley got excited.

"Oh, good. I hope they bring a good amount of-"

He was interrupted by a plasma shot that almost hit his foot causing him to stumble back and see Bird Brain and his newly mutated henchmen flying down armed with battle armor with missile launchers, plasma blasters and heading his groups way. Kitty grabbed her map and the group took off down the ruined street with Bird Brain's armada in hot pursuit firing missiles and plasma bolts their way. Jack and Kitty were quick to use the terrain to their advantage in avoid being hit, but Dudley was having difficulty. His pants as you might have guessed were not exactly helping on his movement and he often found himself almost tripping and had to run faster just to keep up.

"Why is it so hard to run in these things?!", Dudley yelled.

"Maybe you should hold still so I can obliterate you!", Bird Brain yelled back following a screech that only a bird of prey would make.

After a few feet, Bird Brain got smart. He gave a silent order to Owl who fired a plasma bolt ahead of Dudley which caused him to stop and Bird Brain's armada passed over. Just when Dudley thought it was over, he turned to see an all to familiar black wolf-like dog hovering nearby with his bat wings out and flapping.

"Now that Bird Brain has you here", Damian said smiling wickedly, "I can have the honor of destroying you PERSONALLY!"

Damian's hand held a fireball in an instant and as Dudley tried to run off, Damian fired cutting off all escape. Seeing the horror on Dudley's face, Damian cackled.

"Nowhere to run, and nowhere hide.", Damian leered, "Bye Dudley. Some would say it was nice knowing you, but if I said that, I'd be lying."

Damian conjured another fireball and now Dudley was too scared to move. Damian fired, but then through the flames, Kitty and Jack came through on old skateboards and swiped Dudley off his feet and through the flames to be going under Bird Brain's armada( which were still following them) leaving Damian raving for a minute before flying after them as well. Now the chase was on.


	11. Chapter 11

If this was a race, then Kitty and Jack were in to win. Using their skateboards to avoid Bird Brian's group and now Damian was a lot harder than it looked. Dudley looked up at Kitty and Jack and his fear slowly left him.

"Why is it I always have to save you?", Kitty asked him obviously annoyed, "You make a mistake and I clean it up. Every time."

Dudley managed to grab another skateboard off a pile of rubble and he was skateboarding alongside his fellow agents. Kitty let go of his hand and Dudley proved to be quite the skateboarder.

"Hey, that's what friends are for right?", Dudley asked her.

"I don't mean to interrupt", Jack stated as he dodged another plasma blast, "but shouldn't we stop questioning our relationships and focus on staying alive?!"

That was something Kitty and Dudley could both agree on. And fortunately, Damian got a call on his crystal, but he didn't pull it out.

"Damian, did you find your target?"

"Yeah, but he-"

"Report back to me immediately! You're needed elsewhere!"

Damian growled angrily. He wanted to get Dudley so bad, but he dare not enrage his master.

"Coming boss.", Damian said as he looked Dudley's way, "Your days are numbered."

With that, Damian turned and flew off leaving Bird Brain's armada still on the chase. Finally it seemed Jack had taken enough and just for the record he had. He pulled a smoke bomb from his belt and tossed it ahead and it exploded into a thick smoke cloud which the group entered, but only their boards came rolling out the other end. Bird Brain's group ceased fire and Bird Brain made a call.

"Bird Brain to base. We lost visual."

"Check the area, and keep your ears open. Over and out.", Zero reported on the other end.

Bird Brain hung up and after a circle around the dispersing smoke cloud, it was clear the targets had vanished.

"Well, that was quite the chase.", Bird Brain muttered to himself as his armada turned and flew away to scout elsewhere.

Shortly after he left, Jack, Kitty, and Dudley slowly came out of the debris they were hiding under to be sure nobody saw them. After looking around and clarifying that no enemies were in the area, they dusted themselves off.

"You got some good skateboard skills.", Jack told Dudley as they were dine getting dusted off.

"Well, I don't mean to brag but Roger showed me some moves one time and I guess they just stuck to me.", Dudley answered.

Kitty knew who Dudley was talking about. She met Roger one time even though it was briefly. It was the time Snaptrap tried blasting everyone into the sun using a mall he made into a rocket. Fortunately, he was thwarted and everyone made it back alright.

"Well, now where to?", she asked Jack shaking off the earlier conversation.

Jack checked his schematic and pointed down the street. As they walked along, Dudley was clearly still having a little trouble walking in his pants so Kitty stopped and walked over to him.

"What's wrong?", she asked him.

"It's these pants.", Dudley whimpered, "I can't see my tail!"

Kitty looked behind Dudley and seeing his tail wasn't visible, walked around him and adjusted his pants so his tail was seen.

"Satisfied?", she asked him.

Dudley nodded, but he still felt unbalanced. Why did Jeremiah have him wear pants on this mission? Not to mention the waist line was getting a little tight and he still was working on his walk. Kitty rolled her eyes and helped him out as they went to catch up with Jack.

Not far away, perched on a ledge of a nearby building, the Gemini were doing a little scouting and they were clearly spying on what Dudley's team was up to. As Dudley fumbled around in his pants, the Gemini couldn't help but hold in a giggle.

"Was he always this naive in wearing-", Glacia started.

"Pants?", Byron guessed, "How could he? He's never worn them for a vast majority of-"

"His life.", Glacia put in.

"Ain't that the truth.", they said together in unification.

The Gemini trailed Dudley's group with watchful eyes until they turned a corner. Just as they were about to take off, Galaril showed up unexpected( he had a knack for doing this) and they were not pleased to see him.

"Is that no way to welcome a fellow member?", Galaril asked noticing the Gemini's threatening expressions.

"We're only following orders Galaril.", they answered in unification.

"As am I, Gemini.", Galaril informed them, "Could you blame Zero for having a use for me?"

Byron pointed his pistol at Galaril in one swift motion and Glacia did the same.

"We know you Galaril.", Byron sneered, "You used the system of our underworld to make sure your sentence was-"

"Short lived.", Glacia hissed, "You may think you can fool others, but we are not as easily-"

"Persuaded.", Byron finished.

Galaril could tell the Gemini wanted to pull the trigger if he said the wrong thing, so he thought fast.

"Are you thinking of firing on me? After all I did to deliver this establishment to our master?", Galaril asked trying to sound offended and hurt but the weasels were not buying it.

"State why you're here", Byron growled, "or do us all a favor and-"

"Get lost.", Glacia finished.

The Gemini cocked their pistols and Galaril took that as a motive to split. Quickly, he dispersed and faded into the shadows. Only then did the Gemini put their pistols away just as fast as they drew them. Then they opened their trench coats into their ghostly bat wings and took off elsewhere. And believe it or not, Zero called them.

"Zero to Gemini, facility was infiltrated by Renegade. Don't lose sight of the other no matter what. Await further orders."

"Yes sir.", the Gemini answered in unification as they turned and followed a good distance behind Dudley's group.

The facility was certainly one of the most infernally industrial that Jeremiah had ever seen. Conveyor belts moved android parts along as other parts pieced the parts along and after a brief process of energizing, the androids grabbed a weapon of another assembly line and was out the facility ready for battle. Jeremiah's group made their way past the patrols and after making their way to what seemed to be a control center, Dorian went to work on the security system.

"Just a slide to the left, cut the wire connected to the door mechanism", Dorian muttered to himself, "and cause a little flux to short out."

As if on cue, the door dinged and then slid out of sight. Inside, several guards were on the panels monitoring the activity. Quietly and swiftly, Jeremiah and Iris made their way to behind a couple guards and with a good whack on the head, knocked them out cold. Unfortunately this alerted the others who went for the alarm, but Dorian was quicker and after coming out of stealth, his assistants grabbed each one and used a knock out gas to get them out cold as well. Jeremiah and Iris shut the window bindings as Dorian went to the panel and started pressing sequences. It seemed like everything was okay until an alarm went off.

"Dorian?", Jeremiah asked, "Was that you?"

"It wasn't me.", Dorian stated.

Then the panel went blank and a monitor went on followed by an all too familiar cackle Jeremiah had no trouble recognizing. Zero was on the screen looking right back at them.

"I see you managed to get into my facility. Now let's see how you like going out with a bang."

Zero cackled once more and the screen went blank. Then a computerized voice began a countdown.

"Facility will self-destruct in five minutes."

Jeremiah's team looked alarmed as the place began to shake and some electronic things went haywire.

"Time to go!",Jeremiah shouted as his team bolted for the door.

Getting in was not much trouble, but getting out, not so much. Now with explosions, fire and other things to contend with, things were looking pretty grim. As if things couldn't get worse, some androids still in the base went on the offensive. Jeremiah's team fought hard til Jeremiah heard the voice again.

"Facility will self-destruct in four minutes."

Luckily they dispatched the assault and now were on one of the fast moving conveyor belts with several cranes and lasers assaulting them.

"This...is...crazy.", Dorian stated as he moved across the belt, "Putting a...self-destruct...mechanism...in a panel."

"Vile...but effective.", Jeremiah told him as he dodged a laser.

As Jeremiah's team was nearing the end of the belt, the place was looking pretty violent and now the explosions were getting bigger. Then they heard the voice again.

"Facility will self-destruct in three minutes."

Jeremiah's team continued their movement and as they neared the exit, something blocked their way. It was a battle android about as high as the ceiling and looked pretty offensive. But Jeremiah's team wasn't going down without swinging. As they dodged, the android's arsenal of weaponry, they heard the computer voice once more.

"Facility will self-destruct in two minutes."

Just as the android was taken down, Jeremiah's team picked up the pace. They made it to the door which was locked and Dorian quickly got to work.

"Dorian, could you hurry up?", Iris asked. She was getting worried.

"Patience is a virtue.", Dorian stated as his assistance carefully got into the door mechanics.

"Facility will self-destruct in one minute."

"Now it's not!", Jeremiah stated and not waiting for Dorian, he picked up a huge pipe and wedged it into the door frame.

Just as Jeremiah was starting to pull, the door dinged and slide open sending the pipe flying and Jeremiah's team jumped outside and ducked behind a nearby building.

"Facility will self-destruct in five...four...three...two...one. Good-bye."

The facility exploded with such intensity one might think it was a nuke that went off. And the shock wave that followed was quite big. It lifted Jeremiah's team off their feet for a second and then it was over.

"Wow, what a bang.",Jeremiah stated.

"I'll say.", Iris agreed.

Jeremiah and Iris turned to see Dorian's assistants lying limply at his side.

"Dorian?", Jeremiah asked, "What happened?"

"Guess that power core in the facility caused some kind of electronic power surge. Electronic gadgets are all down. But that also means-"

"The warships!", Iris yelled as she pointed upward. Sure enough, ULTRA's warships were plummeting to the ground real fast.


	12. Chapter 12

Dark Wolf had his crew in a state of fear. One minute they were fine and holding the enemy at bay. And the next minute, an explosion sends a shock wave and their power fluxed and went dead. He had to get the ship back online, or at least make the landing not so hard.

"Alright crew, I'm deploying the manual override.", he called out.

Dark Wolf pulled a lever on the side of his chair and the chairs shifted into bicycle seats and everyone started peddling as fast as they could. The ground was coming in fast which made them peddle even faster.

"Sir", a crewman called out, "we're almost within ground level!"

Then there was a slight flash and for that moment, Dark Wolf activated the ships transformation mechanism.

The base shifted and folded til finally, it hit the streets along with the others that formed similarly and with a bump and a crash, three huge battle robots were laid out on the Petropolis city streets alongside the ruin their crashes caused. When everyone caught their breath, Dark Wolf did a look over.

"Is everyone alright?", he asked.

His crew looked a little frazzled, but they'll be alright.

"Sir, our power is low and this transformation of our ship can't function.", a crewman reported, "We're going to have to peddle just to get necessary things going."

"And communications?", Dark Wolf asked.

"Are functional, but only for short distances.", another crewman stated.

Well that was good to hear. Dark Wolf got his communicator on his wrist and tried contacting the other ships.

"This is Dark Wolf to other leaders. Repeat, Dark Wolf to other leaders, over?"

After a few seconds of static, there came an answer.

"This is warship two, we are alive, but upside down. We'll try and get our things in order. Over."

Dark Wolf waited for the other, but no answer came. He tried again, and no avail.

"Their communications must be down.", Dark Wolf thought to himself.

And then he remembered something: Jeremiah. Instantly, he tried them on their communications.

"Dark Wolf to Jackal. Dark Wolf to Jackal. Are you there?"

The static filled the communications screen, but Jeremiah came on although he flickered every now and again.

"This is Jackal to Dark Wolf. Receiving message well."

"What just happened?", Dark Wolf asked, "What made our ships fall?"

"Zero booby trapped his facilities.", Jeremiah reported, "He knew we would go for them so he thought ahead. The resulting shock wave according to Doc will shut down electronic devices in a minute."

"Can it be countered?", Dark Wolf asked.

Dorian did some writing in the background. Then Jeremiah read over it and went back to Dark Wolf.

"Doc thinks that if another shock wave of the same power and flux occurs, then the effects should cancel out."

"Copy that. We'll get our forces back up while you find Dudley and his group.",Dark Wolf informed, "Make sure that he knows about what the facility is before he gets there. Dark Wolf out!"

With that, Dark Wolf hung up and went on to more important matters. With the warships down, they were going to be in big trouble if Zero's forces assaulted them in this state. Even with a lot of people putting in a tremendous amount of effort to peddle and get the power they needed, things were now looking pretty grim.

Byron and Glacia had been following Dudley's group into the eastern part of Petropolis and although they were close behind, they kept out of sight. Then after seeing that Dudley's group had halted outside the facility of the area, Byron and Glacia pulled out their special binoculars to eavesdrop on the conversation they were having.

"Alright listen up, this facility is going to have guards at the ready the moment the alarm goes off.", Jack informed, "We need to get inside and shut this place down before anyone knows we're here. Got it?"

Dudley opened his mouth to talk, but Kitty put her hand over it to pause it. She knew too well that Dudley would use a loud voice more often then a quiet one.

"I think you got it.", she guessed and Dudley's nod was just the answer she wanted.

Now Glacia wasn't one to be patient for she would like to kill first chance she got and Byron sensing this gave a concerned look her way.

"Patience Glacia", he assured her, "our master will send us to dispose when he-"

"Sees fit.", Glacia finished and she calmed down.

Byron wanted to get a kill in too, but they had orders and when Zero put orders on their heads, they dare not break them. Just then, as it looked like Dudley's team was wrapping up their conversation, Galaril showed up and the Gemini were not at all pleased to see him as they lowered their binoculars and sneered his way.

"What now?", they asked in unification.

Galaril looked hurt.

"Did you see that shock wave earlier?", he asked, "And now the little trouble maker is going to short out the other one."

The Gemini pulled their pistols out again and pointed them at Galaril.

"No need for the obvious Galaril", Glacia growled, "we are just doing what Zero-"

"Tells us.", Byron finished.

"As am I.", Galaril stated, "Doing Zero's will and all he has you two do is observe."

That must have struck a nerve because the Gemini both fired a shot at Galaril although both missed as they intended.

"The next shot we fire will be through-", Byron sneered.

"Your head.", Glacia finished.

Galaril could tell that they were both not intent on listening to what he had to say so he bailed before they changed their minds on firing again. As the Gemini went back to observing, they noticed that Dudley's group had moved inside the facility and were nowhere to be seen.

"Cursed horse.", they huffed in unification.

Just then, Bird Brain and his fellow fliers came in and landed behind them.

"Zero sent us to you for interception.", Bird Brain informed, "Know where the target is?"

The Gemini turned around with a demonic smile on their faces.

"Actually we do.", they answered.

Getting inside was not easy, but Dudley's group managed(in their own way). They had gone about a couple feet in when a patrol came by. Quick as a wink, they hid under an assembly line. The clangs and bangs were ringing around the place as the mechanics worked. If he wasn't under Kitty's eye, Dudley would be in awe. Jack led Kitty and Dudley to the control room where most of the facility got their orders and the mechanisms worked. Unfortunately the door was locked( of course) so Jack got to work on the code while Dudley and Kitty kept lookout.

"Jack, any luck?", Kitty asked trying to keep quiet.

"Don't rush me.", Jack informed her, "This requires accurate memory and skill. And with me on Zero's hunting list, I can't afford to get this wrong."

Dudley opened his mouth to talk, but Kitty noticed and put her hand over it again.

"Dudley, we have to keep quiet. Understand?"

Dudley nodded and as Kitty moved her hand away, Jack turned to around.

"I think I got it. All I need to do is press the-"

"Hold it Jack, I think I can do that faster than you.", Dudley said rather loudly.

And that was when things went from bad to worse starting with an alarm going off.

"Intruder alert! Intruder alert! Intruder alert!", the alarm rang.

Jack and Kitty frowned at Dudley who now had a very guilty look on his face. Why was Kitty not surprised? Now androids were coming their way in waves and Jack quickly pulled his blaster out and shot the door handle causing the door to swing open and the threesome got in and shut the door.

"Dudley, I told you to be quiet.", Kitty stated and it was clear to see she was certainly not very pleased.

"Sorry Kitty, when I get nervous I do things.", Dudley said with a shrug.

"Forget it.", Jack informed, "You two need to keep our company at bay while I set this place to blow. We have no time to argue here. Got it?"

Kitty tried calming down. Jack did have a point. Pulling her blaster out, she headed to the door with Dudley at her heels. But as they got to the door, Kitty noticed something.

"Dudley, where's your blaster?"

Dudley looked at his empty hand and quickly looked around.

"Oops, I think I left it outside while we were talking."

"You forgot your blaster!", Kitty screamed.

Just when things were getting harsh for Kitty and Dudley, a plasma bolt fired and almost hit them. That ended an argument. Dudley didn't wait for long. Kitty opened fire while Dudley bolted around the firing androids and saw his blaster near the base of the stairs leading to Jack besides a squad of androids. This was one really dire situation, but Dudley managed to get through and retrieve his blaster to start firing on the assaulting androids. Everything seemed fine til the alarm changed tone.

"Self-destruct sequence activated! You have ten minutes to leave the building!"

Kitty and Dudley quickly disengaged battle and saw Jack crash through the window of the control room and fire several shots from his own blasters and take out the rest of the androids before pocketing them again to land safely on the floor.

"Alright, let's beat it!", Jack ordered and the group went running.


	13. Chapter 13

Back on the crashed and semi transformed warship, the members were hard at work getting the act back together. The commander( it's the cougar) was peddling hard and after getting some defense up, the crew gave a report.

"So far, our communications are still dead, defense is limited and ship is immobile.", one crewman reported.

The commander tried several button sequences on his chair, but all the screen showed was a bunch of static.

"Blast.", he thought to himself, "Can't get a message through to Dark Wolf."

Luckily they did have scanning of the entire structure of the ship and some were monitoring as the commander did a once over.

"Is the medical bay in tact?", he asked his crew.

"Negative commander.", a crewman( a gerbil) informed.

"The auto repair system?"

"Wiped out.", another crewman( a raven) reported, "By the shock wave."

Then something caught the commander's eye on the ship scanners. The lower hull had been ruptured and had a few holes not very big, but not to be ignored.

"We have a breach!", he called out, "Get repairs down and seal them! Let's move people!"

Now things really went into overdrive. Some crewmen peddled to allow doors to open as a group got emergency repair kits from the storage room and headed to the lower hull area. Luckily the communicators they had were operational. With the lights flickering on and off as though power surges were occurring, it was pretty spooky in the ship and Heaven knew what was lurking outside. Patiently, the crew awaited an answer from the hull. A short time later, they got a reading from the hull and saw on radar that the crewman had reached the holes and had begun patching them up. Then, came an alarm as a bunch of red dots started appearing alongside the crewmen and a transmission came through.

"Guess who?", Galaril mocked as his image appeared on the screen static, "Excuse us, but we have orders to infest and take this ship."

Galaril's image faded and now the crewmen were running back to the deck. The commander started shutting the doors. He didn't know what Galaril had brought, but he didn't want to find out. Shortly the crewmen came back on deck and the doors swung shut behind them. The crew stopped running controls and got their blasters ready for battle. The doors shuddered as constant bangs and scraps came from the other side. Then the door started to slowly open to reveal Galaril with several of his nightmares and a really strong looking warden( a grizzly bear) prying open the doors. That's when the ULTRA agents opened fire, but Galaril waved his hand and a barrier formed in front of him protecting his group from the assault.

"Did you think I didn't think this out?", Galaril mocked, "I work for the most powerful being that ever walked this wretched earth. Soon you will all be enslaved or slaughtered."

Soon Galaril's warden had the doors open and as soon as Galaril had his shield down, a shout came from behind him.

"Hey, Galaril, think fast!"

Galaril turned fast to see a smoke bomb go off covering the area with thick smoke.

"What the?", Galaril chocked as he turned to see what hit him.

As you might have guessed, Dudley's team was successful in blowing the facility apart and getting the shock wave to ignite. Catching their breath from the blast, they checked their communicators and found out that the power was back on.

"Well, looks like it worked.", Jack said with pride.

Kitty was about to answer until she saw Dudley on the ground obviously trying to get comfortable in his pants but still not working.

"Dudley, are you trying to take those pants off again?", she asked him.

"Hey, these things are not easy to get used to.", Dudley answered as he tried to get his pants off again, "Jeez, why does Jeremiah make me wear these?"

As if on cue, Dudley's communicator went off and it was Jeremiah on the other end.

"You look better that way."

Dudley looked hurt.

"But-"

"No buts!", Jeremiah snapped, "Now listen up, the warships are back online and Dark Wolf wants us to rendezvous at TUFF HQ. The resistance will meet us there."

"Resistance?", Dudley asked, "What resistance?"

"Just get over there and everything will be clear.", Jeremiah stated harshly and he hung up.

Kitty helped Dudley to his feet and that conversation really got Dudley's mind off his pants for a bit. Unfortunately the moment was interrupted by several plasma bolts firing from above and as you might have guessed, it was Bird Brain and his goons on the offensive again.

"I'm going to flambe that booby into a roast chicken!", Kitty screamed as she opened fire.

It was plain to see she was annoyed. Jack and Dudley joined in although when Dudley pulled his blaster from his pants, he flipped himself and fell smack on his back.

"Stop playing around, Dudley.", Jack told him as he took on a mutated owl and bat.

"I'm not.", Dudley complained, "These pants flipped me."

Dudley got to his feet again only to get swooped at by Bird Brain and nearly got impaled by razor sharp claws. Kitty fired away to help keep Bird Brain at bay, but she too had her hands full with a mutated hummingbird and duck.

"What to do?", Dudley asked himself and then he lit up.

As Bird Brain came near, Dudley fired into a nearby pipe and blasted Bird Brain in the face with a blast of scalding hot steam. Bird Brain screeched in agony and the blisters on his face certainly were not something nice to see. Jack and Kitty saw this and following the method, had Bird Brain's armada fighting air with hot steam. But then Bird Brain changed tactics. His armada and him flew out of reach and used the open air for evasion and attacked with grenades and plasma shots. Dudley's group managed to avoid the assault and with carefully timed angle shots, send Bird Brain's armada flying into steam pipes all over again. They did this about four times and Bird Brain gave up and flew off with his battered and wounded armada following.

"Well, that was unexpected.", Dudley said catching his breath.

"At least we're okay.", Kitty informed him.

She had calmed down and thought carefully on her first opinion.

"We'll talk later. We got a place to get to.", Jack said sternly, "Zero is not taking this lying down. Is he?"

Kitty and Dudley couldn't disagree on that. After a careful look around and getting their breath, they made their way down the street once more.

After several long hours of travel, Dudley's group reached TUFF HQ, though it did look better as a skyscraper then as a towering mountainous structure of dark iron. They kept to the shadows as they noticed that several patrols were on the lookout as well as several towers on the structure having watchful eyes. Just seeing those eyes made Dudley remember the towers back in Hades. The eyes looked here and there unblinking and watching for any who dared to wander close.

"Now what?", Dudley asked trying to be quiet.

"Not sure.", Jack told him, "Jeremiah said to rendezvous here."

"So where is he?", Kitty asked.

As if something wanted to answer, a giant energy shot fired straight at the tower followed by two more. The tower put up a shield fast, but went red after the assault. Dudley's group turned and saw ULTRA's warships back in the air firing away and spilling out all the flying troops they could. Dudley's communicator went off and Dark Wolf's face appeared.

"This is Dark Wolf to Agent Puppy. Over?"

"Dark Wolf, we read you loud and clear. Over.", Jack informed.

"Okay, listen up, when the shield disperses, you got only a few seconds to get in.', Dark Wolf informed, "Once inside, you'll be cut off from us. We'll hold Zero's forces at bay best we can, but our power is still low. You need to find the main power generator in the base and shut it down so the shield can't replenish itself. Over?"

"Got it.", Kitty told him, "I'll explain it to Dudley when we're inside."

"Explain what?", Dudley asked.

Dark Wolf could tell Dudley had toned out his message so he sighed heavily.

"Please don't mess this up. Dark Wolf out."

Dark Wolf hung up and then there was a loud piercing sound and the tower shield faltered and started to shimmer. That was a sign that Dudley's group had to move. Zero's patrols saw them approach and opened fire although they did keep firing on the warships. Finally as Dudley's group got to the edge of the shield, it lifted up a bit and Dudley's group jumped through. Then the shield hole closed and their communicators went dead.

"Let's move it.", Jack stated as the group kept avoiding incoming fire.

Finally they reached the doors and after Jack threw an explosive near it, ducked nearby as the doors blew open. Not having time to stand around, Dudley's group quickly got inside. There was going to be trouble in here, but at least they were inside.

"Now what?", Dudley asked.

"We get to the main power generator.", Kitty told him, "But we don't want to get spotted. Zero probably added security measures to the ones we already had."

Jack had made his way to the air duct and had opened a hatch before turning back to the group.

"Found a way.", he said as Dudley and Kitty turned to see what he was doing.

That wasn't what Kitty had in mind to get to the main generator, but it will have to do. As she helped Dudley get into the air duct, she noticed a surveillance camera turning their way. Thinking fast, she put a silencer on her blaster and fired at it. After blowing the camera to scrap, Dudley and Jack hoisted her into the air duct and she sealed their entry behind her.


	14. Chapter 14

Inside the air ducts was a little bigger inside than outside. It was big enough for Dudley's group to crawl on hands and knees.

"These vents are quite big inside.", Dudley said in awe.

"Shh!", Jack hissed quietly, "You want Zero to know we're here?"

Dudley quieted down immediately and then a thought went through his head. What the Gemini said back in Hades when he went the first time.

"Zero knows all and sees all.", he thought as the group crawled along the vent floor, "Does that mean he knows about us in the vents already?"

They passed several openings that revealed several different rooms. Mostly there was storage, interior decorations, and even a gym. How did Dudley not know TUFF had these? Some rooms he did know as they passed although it was kind of hard to tell because Zero had his own personal satanic touch to each one. Things in the duct were getting dusty and Dudley accidentally sniffed up a little too much.

Kitty could tell he was about to sneeze and she quickly covered his mouth and nose when he did. She pulled her hands away to see they were covered in snot and Dudley wiped them on his shirt.

"Sorry Kitty. I couldn't help it."

Kitty pulled a wipe from her pocket and wiped the stains on Dudley's shirt off.

"It's okay Dudley.", she assured him, "It happens."

Jack was in front and he scouted ahead. Just when it looked okay, a loud clang was heard. Dudley's group froze and looked around to see if anything was happening. And of course an end of the duct turned into a spike wall.

"And now we have to move.", Jack said with a sigh.

That was when the spike wall came their way. They crawled away fast and made it into another one just as the wall almost got them.

"Is that it?", Dudley asked.

The duct they were now in seemed stable, but when Dudley tried crawling ahead, a set of blades fell and almost chopped his fingers off if Jack hadn't pulled him back.

"Don't get ahead of yourself", Jack said sternly, "or you're going to get us killed."

Dudley was about to answer, but Kitty stopped him. Jack then waited a couple minutes to see that several more blades had formed a pattern. The one Dudley triggered appeared to go first. Then the third. And second next and so on to the end.

"Wait here.", Jack told Dudley and Kitty as he got ready to crawl on ahead.

After careful timing, and more than one close call, Jack made it across. Kitty followed suite and she had similar results. Dudley however was a different story. He was almost cleaved every time and he looked pretty spooked when he crawled to the safety Jack and Kitty were.

"Well, you made it.", Kitty told him trying to calm him.

Jack scouted ahead while Kitty helped calm Dudley's nerves. Hey, he was almost butchered back there and was pretty shaken. Wouldn't you feel the same?

"Hey, I think I found the generator.", Jack radioed over the communicator.

"Jack, could you give us a minute?", Kitty asked, "Dudley's still a little frazzled."

"Who's frazzled?", Dudley asked snapping out of his daze, "Let's get a move on."

After breaking the duct opening, Dudley's group jumped into the main power room. The generator was pretty big with all the power cables and whirling sounds going on, it was truly a marvel to just be in the presence of.

"Now that's a generator.", Dudley said in awe.

"We can observe later. ", Jack informed, "We got a mission to do."

As they approached the generator, a tumble of storage containers came their way. They turned to see the Chameleon and Francisco lumbering nearby. Kitty saw them before and for a lizard and crocodile, Zero's mutations made them look more like they were from the prehistoric era. From their increased muscle, their sharp claws, and jagged teeth, they were a lot more scary than they used to be. Not waiting for a response, they both shifted their arms into primitive clubs and sneered their way.

"You want to get that generator?", Francisco growled.

"You need to get through us first.", Chameleon finished.

Kitty and Dudley quickly pulled their blasters out and Jack saw the control panel.

"Can you two keep them busy?", Jack asked.

"No problem.", Kitty told him though she was a little unsure.

Dudley however was still trying to adjust his pants at the waistline.

"Why are pants so hard to manage?", he complained.

"Just roll with it.", Kitty answered.

And that's when things went into chaos. First the two sides charged each other while Jack ran for the panel. Dudley and Kitty pulled their blaster triggers only to see that they were out of ammo. Chameleon and Francisco however just shifted their hands into plasma rifles and kept advancing. Whenever Kitty and Dudley tried to overcome one weapon, their opponent shifted another part of their body into another one. Jack was busy typing into the panel and it seemed he was having a little trouble.

"Let's see, combination from the Alpha console cross diagrammed to the Delta point. And that should be-"

Jack moved to avoid a plasma shot from Chameleon who was aiming for Dudley who had wondered too close.

"I'm trying to work here.", he stated over his shoulder.

"You think fighting two enemies that can shape shift is easy?!", Dudley yelled.

And then the generator started to spark and beep loudly which made everyone pause.

"Uh, what does that beeping mean?", Dudley asked though the thought made him nervous.

"The generator has gone into a critical state!", Kitty screamed, "Which means it's gonna blow!"

Dudley's team raced for the door, but Chameleon and Francisco got there first. The fight resumed only Dudley's group was fighting harder due to the generator started exploding in certain parts. With Jack on their side, the fight seemed more fair, and Jack quickly provided a fresh supply of ammo that refilled Dudley and Kitty's blasters. That helped turn the tables, but Chameleon and Francisco quickly shifted their backs into large pterodactyl wings and crashed through the ceiling and were off. They knew when to beat a retreat. Jack quickly raced back to the panel and was pressing a sequence rather fast and Kitty and Dudley came over.

"Now what?", Dudley asked.

Jack said nothing. He just pulled something off his belt.

"Just hold on to me and stay close.", he instructed.

Shortly afterward, the generator( as well as the whole base) exploded and thankfully the force field was still stable enough to contain it before it dissolved. Dark Wolf and his crew looked on as the smoke cleared, but all that seemed to stand there was a mountain of rubble. Jeremiah and his group had pulled in as well. After putting his cycle back into it's cube form, Jeremiah and his group started to search through the ruins hoping to find some remains if there were any.

"Any thing over in your area?", Jeremiah radioed his fellow group members.

"Nothing over here.", Iris reported.

"Negative in my area as well.", Dorian stated, "It looks like they did what they had to do."

"Sure, after Galaril tried to take a ship and failed.", Jeremiah said firmly, "Something tells me that these agents wouldn't go down this fast."

Then near the top, the rubble shifted. Jeremiah and his group turned to see a glowing bubble float out of the rubble and land near them. As the bubble dispersed, it was clear to see that it was Dudley, Jack, and Kitty all safe and sound. Sure they looked a little roughed up from the fight earlier, but they'll be alright. Dark Wolf radioed them as soon as they came into view.

"Well, it looks like you made it.", Dark Wolf said over Jack's communicator.

"Hey, gotta be prepared.", Jack shrugged, "And a shield is something I always have in reserve."

Jack put his shield device back on his belt as Kitty and Dudley got their act together.

"Now that that's out of the way?", Dudley asked, "What now?"

And then that's when things went weird. Giant pillars shot up around the entire city and generated yet another force field cutting off any means of an escape. Everyone looked around in confusion and then an all too familiar cackle echoed like thunder. Dudley, Jeremiah, and everyone looked up to see Zero's image materialize above their heads.

"What could be funny Zero?", Jeremiah sneered, "We beat your forces, and Petropolis will soon be free of you."

"You think I didn't think this through?", Zero asked smiling devilishly, "You think you beat me? All you did was make my job easier."

"What job?", Dudley asked.

"It's an expression.", Kitty told him.

"You fools!", Zero cackled, "You all played right into my trap!"

That was when the ground started to rumble. Zero turned to face ULTRA's warships and looked thoughtful.

"We can't have those turning the tide can we?", he asked as he pulled a trigger from his coat( which was yellow this time) and pressed it.

What happened next happened so fast. First a shock wave came from the base of the pillars and then the warships were falling once again. Dark Wolf and the others on board peddled hard, and rest assured, they landed a little less roughly than last time. That was when the radars on the ships started beeping like crazy. Zero continued to smile through it all.

"And now it's time you all died.", he said coldly.

That was when the plague organisms came. And they came in swarms that Dudley almost fainted.

"Oh no, not again.", Kitty complained.

Not long ago Zero used these corpse like abominations to overwhelm every major city in the world and pulled them back only when everyone surrendered world control to him.

"And one more thing.", Zero said as the plague organisms got close, "I'm not pulling these back!"


	15. Chapter 15

Dudley and Jeremiah's groups all got into fighting positions while the plague organisms closed in. With all their gruesome looks and regurgitation of egg sacs, they were something to fear.

"Aim for their heads.", Jeremiah instructed, "Kill the brain and they die."

Dark Wolf and his warships helped too. Even though they were down, the ships shifted into battle robots once more. Dudley and his group followed Jeremiah's as they went on the offensive. Dorian quickly dispatched as many egg sacs he could, but the hordes just kept coming. Kitty however was quite overwhelmed. She had faced these things not long back when Zero took over Petropolis and now Zero had just sentenced everyone inside the dome to death. Jack could see she needed encouragement so he held her hand.

"At least we go down with honor right?", he asked looking her in the eye.

"And we go down together.", Dudley added holding Kitty's other hand.

Kitty's eyes got all teary. She was happy to have friends like them.

"Yeah", she said, "now let's go out with a bang."

Jeremiah, although he was hard at work slaughtering the hordes, saw this and he smiled.

"Dudley, if we don't make it out, you were the greatest friend I could ever know.", he stated, "Now let's rumble."

Dudley's group then charged in with both barrels loaded. Although they fired away, they remembered to aim for the heads. Jack saw several egg sacs beginning to hatch and quickly tossed a couple grenades to take care of that. Dark Wolf's ships were handling things rather well. The turrets were gunning down tons of enemies and it seemed like everything was going okay until the turrets started to run out of ammo. That was when the aerial troops of ULTRA took off from their departure docks and attacked from above. Zero just looked on.

"Sooner or later you are all going to run out of fire power.", he said coldly, "And then what?"

"Will you just shut your mouth?!", Jeremiah and Dudley both screamed at him.

They really didn't like Zero butting in when a fight was going on. Jeremiah was using his retractable claws and Iris using her knives.

"This brings back memories.", Jeremiah told her as they were back to back.

"Yeah, back in the Underworld Civil War.", Iris agreed as she slashed an enemy's head in two.

Now up on a hillside nearby, Herbert and Keswick both stood in their worn clothes and though they had torture markings almost healed, they were still the top notched agents they always were. Keswick pulled out a battle horn and Herbert sounded off a long loud blast which drew heads to look in their direction. Slowly but surely, another army formed beside Herbert and Keswick. Everyone Zero had enslaved in Petropolis was in battle armor and wielding weapons that looked more like they were made from scrap. Hey, they had to make do with what they had. Herbert drew out a megaphone just to be heard.

"Zero, your hold over this city has gone on long enough!", he yelled, "And in the name of all that we stand for, we will take back what you took and then you!"

When he was dine doing that, he turned to Keswick.

"We ready?", he asked.

"Ready as we'll ever be.", Keswick stated.

Keswick then pressed a button on his watch and several hovercrafts came in allowing Herbert's army to grab a lift down. And Herbert sounded the battle horn once more.

"For Petropolis!", he yelled and the army yelled in response.

They descended and assaulted the plague organisms the moment they got in range. Dudley's group had managed to grab on and get on it's deck. It happened to be the one that Herbert and Keswick were on and his face lit up.

"Chief, Keswick?!", he asked in excitement.

And to Herbert, he was never this happy to hear Dudley's voice again.

"Yep, it's us.", Herbert stated, "We thought we might drop in and lend a hand."

Kitty and Jack had gotten to the sides and were firing away keeping Zero's plague organism forces down. Dudley however was deep in conversation with Herbert.

"So where did all this come from?", Dudley asked.

"It wasn't easy.", Herbert stated as he pulled a lever and fired a plasma bolt and took out several plague organisms, "Zero put us through a lot of torment. Luckily Keswick found a way to develop high tech weapons from the materials we were always mining. Besides that, we secretly got others in on our resistance and we began our own rebellion. When this is over Dudley, you have a lot to do to make up for this."

Dudley couldn't disagree with that. Zero had disguised himself as Dudley's deceased father and slowly tempted him to go rouge. Zero's plan worked and Dudley had become an evil vicious monster wolf that Zero forced to do his dirty work. Of all the things he could have done, helping Zero was the lowest and most selfish thing Dudley could do.

"I'll make up for this Chief.", he promised, "Count on it."

Even with their reinforcements, the fight was still even. Zero's image just hung in the air and finally pulled a different trigger out.

"Now we end this.", he sneered as he pushed the trigger.

What happened next was chaos all over again. Now androids and battle machines were following the plague organisms and were assaulting the enemy. Now things were really heating up. Dudley saw Jeremiah on another hovercraft and the look on his face said it all. Dudley turned to Keswick.

"Keswick, is there any way we can beat these things without weapons?"

"Well, I have thought of using sound vi..vi..vi..vibrations, but they'll need to be pretty loud.", Keswick answered.

Dudley's communicator went off and when he answered it, he saw it was Jeremiah.

"Dudley, can you get the hovercraft you're on near mine? I got an idea."

"What is it?, Dudley asked.

"Just get near me.", Jeremiah stated, "And get ready to rock."

Dudley didn't know why, but he did what Jeremiah said. When he did, he saw that Jeremiah's hovercraft had shifted into some sort of stage, but where was Jeremiah and his group?

"Was this part of a plan?", he thought out loud.

Just then, heavy metal sounded off that was so loud that it shook the earth. Heavy smoke covered the nearby hovercraft and Jeremiah's group came into view only now they looked a little different. Now Jeremiah looked a lot like a version of Elvis Presley while Iris was strumming an electric bass with Dorian playing three sets of electric keyboards(hey he had six arms if you count his tentacles). Then Dudley got the point. Quick as a wink he made his way to the back where he found some musical instruments.

"Dudley, what's going on?", Kitty asked him as Jack and her saw what was going on.

"No time.", Dudley answered as he tossed an electric guitar to Kitty and rolled several drums to Jack, "Just start rocking."

Zero noticed Jeremiah's group and frowned.

"I admit this music got my attention, but I think that-"

Zero was interrupted by yet another wave of sound that fused with the one Jeremiah's group was making. Dudley's group was now visible and they were rocking like a well oiled band machine. Dudley's sang loud into the microphone he carried while Kitty rocked the guitar with Jack banging the drums like crazy. One look, and Dudley and Jeremiah clicked their microphones in unification. That made enormous speakers come out which made their music even louder. Everyone on the battle field including the plague organisms and androids shook as the sound waves kept coming. Even Zero was feeling the music and covering his ears.

"Now I absolutely loathe rock and roll.", he thought bitterly.

Now what was all this supposed to do? Now you'll find out. From all that music, the plague organism's heads shook violently, and then exploded like grenades. The egg sacs and androids couldn't take the music either and exploded as well. Not even the barrier keeping everyone in was enough to contain this level of rock. After seeing the barrier disperse, Dark Wolf tried to get Dudley and Jeremiah's attention.

"Dudley, Jeremiah! You can stop now, it's over!", he yelled trying to get over the sound.

"And...BIG FINISH!", Dudley and Jeremiah yelled as the last note was blown and sparks flew out above their heads creating a shower of light that only rock concerts can produce.

Slowly the sound faded and Jeremiah and Dudley both bowed.

"Thank ya. Thank ya very much.", Jeremiah stated into his microphone(he was really into character).

"Rock on!", Dudley added.

And then both of them collapsed. Their groups carried them off as the hovercrafts landed on the ground. Peg who was tending the injured came over in a rush to see if Dudley was okay. After seeing he was, she went back to helping the other doctors. That concert really shook the place, but hey it does that. Dudley and Jeremiah sure knew how to rock and they recovered fast and back on their feet.

"Now that, is how you rock.", Jeremiah said with pride.

"Yeah", Dudley agreed, "and are Zero's forces gone?"

Dorian and Keswick did a quick city scan and no enemy was detected. Even Zero's image had vanished. With that out of the way, Dark Wolf radioed down with a report.

"Looks like the mission worked out."

"Yeah it did.",Jeremiah stated.

"Is it over?", Dudley asked.

"The battle for Petropolis is over.", Dark Wolf said grimly, "The battle for the fate of the world is about to begin. But at least we got a city for our foothold and we can focus on getting other cities out of Zero's influence."

Among the ruined streets and enemy remains, Dudley, Jeremiah, and their groups stood gazing to the horizon. There was a whole world out there to be saved and now, they were ready to take it back.


End file.
